


The Sacrifice

by sashasul



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Mythology References, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-07-13
Packaged: 2019-10-19 13:41:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 37,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17602424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sashasul/pseuds/sashasul
Summary: "She shivered and rolled down onto her side, pulling her legs up to her chest. The shackle that encased her ankles and was tethered to the ground rattled as it scraped across the concrete and she glanced over at Alex, lying curled in a restless sleep..."What happens when there are no heroes left? Who will step up, what sacrifices will be made? A darker Danvers sister story.





	1. Chapter 1

_National City, Dec. 22, 7:30 PM_

Ominous, ragged, smoky clouds drifted across the dark, evening sky.  Dipping low onto the horizon, swallowing each piece of landscape as they walked across the earth.  Slowly, small bits of cotton-like, white snow were coaxed out of the clouds, illuminated against the dark backdrop like fireflies on a summer evening. Kara watched as each piece struggled against the wind, desperate to stay afloat before finally relenting and landing among a graveyard filled with steel columns rising out of the ground, fragments of weathered wood hanging from the corners and a sea of concrete, overgrown grass and vines that tied it all together, forming the skeleton of a dilapidated building on the outskirts of National City.  

If she closed her eyes, Kara could recall a time that seemed like a lifetime ago.  Not long after Jeremiah had been declared dead.  Eliza had taken Kara and Alex to Colorado for a get-away in the mountains.  It had been Kara’s first time on the slopes and she was immediately enthralled by the enormous, white, powdery mounds of snow that carpeted the ground. She and Alex had spent hours going up and down the slopes.  Well, Alex spent hours going up and down.  Most of Kara’s time consisted of being sprawled out on the ground.  Apparently, body coordination in the sky meant nothing once two long, slender sticks were stuck to the bottom of her feet on the ground.  But, Kara didn’t mind.  The crashes didn’t hurt and the snow that slithered down her neck when she careened across the ground wasn’t cold. And finally seeing Alex happy was worth the small amount of personal embarrassment that she felt each time she went down. 

Since then, her life had been a roller-coaster ride of ups and downs, but becoming Supergirl and being able to make a difference - to help others - gave her existence on Earth meaning.  Gave her hope. 

But, her picturesque world had changed dramatically over the last year.  The darkness that swept through the skies brought with it intense animosity and hatred to National City.  Pitting human against alien and at times, human against human.  No one escaped unmarred, even Kara.  The world that she had come to call home, the city that she once defended without regard for her own safety had changed.  She, or rather Supergirl, was now considered an enemy of the people.  

And now, the chill that came with the snow nipped at her body.  

She shivered and rolled down onto her side, pulling her legs up to her chest. The shackle that encased her ankles and was tethered to the ground rattled as it scraped across the concrete and she glanced over at Alex, lying curled in a restless sleep a couple feet from her. 

Shadows hid most of Alex’s features, but a tiny amount of moonlight from a small break in the clouds streamed down, exposing a badly battered profile.  The black and purple streaks started at opposite ends of her jaw and temple, meeting in a raised hill of defiance at the corner of her eye.  A dried trail of blood from a split bottom lip ran under her chin and the flaming imprint of fingers peppered the side of her neck. 

 Kara shuddered from the memory that those injuries brought. 

When Kara had found the overgrown structure that was hidden in the trees on the outskirts of the city, she knew immediately that Alex was being held there.  The heartbeat that had been etched into her mind for the last 15 years and that pierced her eardrums was like a beacon in an ocean storm.  

And when she saw Alex along with the missing aliens, chained to a knee-wall that still existed within the structure, she initially had the upper hand.  One by one she took on the Children of Liberty forces that surrounded the structure.  But, as Kara got within reach of Alex, Lockwood became desperate.  The first alien died when Lockwood plunged a knife into its back, sending it to the ground, gasping for air, sprawled out in a pool of its own blood.  Enraged at the senseless death, Kara flew at Lockwood as he reached for another, smirking as he again drove in the knife  just as Kara reached them.  

She rammed into Lockwood, lifting him off the ground, plummeting both of them into a pile of nearby debris.  Reaching for him again and again.  Pulling him back up just to be able to drive her fist into his chin once more.  He had become a catharsis for her pent-up anger and frustration. 

“Supergirl!” A familiar voice shouted as she reached for Lockwood’s battered body one more time. 

Kara turned to find Lillian Luthor in her exosuit, standing behind Alex.  Kryptonite sword poised, threatening to plunge it into Alex’s side.  

The tide had turned. 

  _Don’t do it!_

Alex had later yelled to her, bravely gritting through each fist being slammed into her body.  Emphatic in making sure Kara understood that in no way was she to give into their demands to blow out her powers.  

And Kara complied. Like she had been taught to do when it came to matters of coercion and Alex. 

So, silently she stood.  Lips tightly pressed together to muffle her own cries.  Helpless behind the kryptonite knife that pricked at own her neck.  Fighting back tears and swallowing the bile that crept up the back of her throat with each punch thrown at Alex.  Determined to follow Alex’s wishes.  At least, until Lillian upped the ante. The mechanical hand-like claw wrapped around Alex’s throat, bulging her eyes, cutting off her oxygen as she frantically pulled at the restricting device. Slowly she began losing consciousness, her arms dropping limply next to her side in defeat. 

It was more than Kara could bear.  

So, she agreed. Put on the familiar helmet and fell into the same weakness that limited humans. She wasn’t sure which was worse, the physical injuries that were plastered across Alex’s face or the look of disappointment in her eyes when Kara submitted. 

“Don’t,” Alex’s raspy voice brought Kara back into the present.  Her eyes refocused on Alex, forehead wrinkled in confusion. 

“Don’t feel guilty.  This is not your fault.”

“Alex,” Kara breathed, thankful that Alex was lucid. “I couldn’t let them continue.” She bit at her lip.  “Couldn’t let them kill you. I’m sorry.” 

Alex gritted her teeth and pushed herself up, leaning into the wall for support, while grasping at her injured left side.  Her own leg chains echoed across the open area as she pulled herself closer to the wall.  She cleared her throat. 

“You did what you thought you needed to do,” she hoarsely whispered and gave a small, acknowledging laugh.  “Hell, you know that I would have done the same.” 

She glanced over to where the remaining group of Children of Liberty huddled by a makeshift fire pit.  “We need to figure out our next move before Lillian and Lockwood get back.”  

Kara sat up and slid as close to Alex as her restraints would allow.  

“Without my powers, we’re limited.”  Her eyes drifted to the remaining aliens bound to the wall further down.  “But, we do still have them.  If we can just figure out a way to get them loose.”

Alex nodded.  “Don’t sell us short either,” she added.  She stretched her arm out toward Kara.  “We’re pretty formidable, with or without powers.”  

Kara smiled and grasped Alex’s outreached hand.  “The Danvers sisters.  We should come with a warning.” 

“Well, isn’t that sweet.  The human traitor and her alien sister bonding.” 

The sisters turned to see a masked Ben Lockwood walking toward them.  

Kara had a gut feeling that their time to figure out an escape had just run out. She glanced at Alex and dropped her hand. 

“You know, when Lillian told me that Supergirl was Kara Danvers and that her sister was Alex Danvers, the DEO Director, I admit that I had a hard time determining who I was disgusted with more.”  Lockwood leaned over Kara.  “The alien who poses as a savior to National City.”  He looked across to Alex.  “Or, the traitor, tasked with protecting us from these roaches and who actually shared a bedroom with one for years.”

“How about the one that stares back in the mirror each time you take off that coward’s mask,” Kara snapped 

Lockwood’s attention shifted back to Kara, examining for a few seconds the defiant chin that was thrust up and the hardened eyes that glared back at him.  He stood up, pulled off his mask and stared at it.  The once gleaming, gold embellished covering had now become dull.  Tarnished, with scratches and dents that permeated the lining.  It was a reflection of his own life and he resented it. Fires of fury smoldered in his narrowed eyes and he suddenly raised his boot, slamming it down onto Kara’s exposed hand. 

The action startled Kara and in reflex, she cried out in pain, pulling the battered hand into her stomach.   

“Don’t!” Alex yelled, yanking at her chains in a futile attempt to reach Kara. 

Lockwood smirked and motioned at his men.  “While I would love to continue to see how far this display of spurious sisterhood would go, we have a trial to hold.”  He looked down at Kara.  “Justice needs to be upheld.”  

“Trial?” Alex asked. 

“Yes, a trial.  Unlike the clandestine DEO who haphazardly identify threats and use unauthorized, excessive force that ends up terrorizing innocent humans, we believe that the evidence should be weighed out in the open, before the public.  Then, the appropriate punishment can be imposed.” 

The men unlocked the leg cuffs on Alex, Kara and the other aliens, pulling them up off the floor.  Lockwood turned and moved toward the center of the ruined structure where the remaining Children of Liberty were lining up chairs next to the fire pit.  He tossed the mask into the fire and motioned for the prisoners to be dropped down into the chairs with Kara situated at the end, a few feet from the others. 

Lockwood nodded to one of his men, who pulled out a cell phone to begin recording.  

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” Lockwood began.  “We are here this evening to remind our citizens that the wheels of justice in this great country do still work.  That the values established by our human predecessors, that provide the strength to our country and which are paramount to the continuation of human life on this Earth, do still exist.” 

He walked toward the lined up group.  “Earlier today we, the Children of Liberty, defenders of the human race, accomplished something that the DEO has been unable to do.”  He stopped behind Alex’s chair.  “Something that they were unwilling to do because of a conspiracy of secrecy and treason deep within the ranks of the organization.” 

He glanced over at Kara. “Through diligence and great sacrifice, our forces have worked to keep this country safe.  To defeat our enemies.  And from those efforts, we were able to capture the greatest threat that the human population has ever faced.  I give you this country’s most wanted fugitive.”  He pointed down to Kara and the camera followed.  

“Supergirl.”   

Kara raised her chin and met his gaze. 

“And tonight,” Lockwood continued, “we will provide you with a front row seat of that justice system in action.”  He began walking further down, towards Kara.  “In a proceeding that is being recorded for all of National City to see, to bear witness to, we will present evidence of the People’s case against Supergirl.” He rounded the chair and squared up to her.  “A case that is built on the charge of terrorism against this planet.” 

“Terrorism?” Kara asked incredulously. “That’s rid-” 

“Don’t interrupt!” Lockwood boomed, taking a threatening step at Kara before quickly pulling back.   

Kara flinched slightly but, otherwise displayed no fear.  This time she was prepared for any possible repercussions to her defiance.  

“The evidence-” A red-faced Lockwood sputtered, the tightness evident in his voice.  He quickly turned away, taking a few more collective breaths to gather himself. 

Kara glanced at Alex.  Twice in the last few minutes, Lockwood had lost a bit of self-control.  The last few months had been trying on everyone, Lockwood included.  Was he becoming unhinged?  Was his lack of control a possible opening?  

“The evidence -” Lockwood finally turned back to the group and continued, “-will show a connection between Supergirl and incidents over the last few years that have brought death and destruction to the human population of this planet.”  

He began pacing in front of the lined up group.  “Furthermore, it will link together this trail -” he gestured “-this trail of systematic devastation to an elaborate plot construed by the alien population on this planet -” his pacing intensified  “-to overtake Earth.  To take away jobs.  Businesses.  Political offices.  Even schools!”  He lamented, pounding his fist into his hand after each point. 

“All made possible through an intention to enslave or exterminate the entire human population!  And at the center of that plan,” he abruptly stopped in front of Kara. “Is Supergirl.  Their leader.  Their Messiah, who promises to lead them into their Promised Land! Our land!” 

“That’s not true! I am not-” 

Lockwood snapped.  His rising emotions consuming him and he swung a backhand across Kara’s cheek, knocking her askew, throwing both her and the chair onto the ground.  

In an instant, Alex was on her feet tackling Lockwood to the ground.  Kara quickly regrouped, ignoring the searing pain in her hand, grabbed at the metal chair and swung it at the rest of the group standing nearby. 

The assault had little chance of succeeding.  Both Kara and Alex knew this going in.  But, it was their only chance and as in the past, neither thought twice about going forward.

Working together as a team, they moved quickly to try and gain the upper hand by taking out as many as they could in the process.  While some of the aliens broke for the nearby rubble that littered the area, a few others stayed and joined the fight, determined to inflict their own revenge upon the group. 

Alex finished pummeling Lockwood, effectively rendering him semi-unconscious.  She made quick work of a couple of combatants while making her way to Kara who was cutting a path through a pile of attackers.  As Kara’s group wrestled for position, Alex dove into a couple of men on the fringes, sending them spinning across the ground like a bowling ball picking up a spare. 

Now fragmented, the untrained adversaries were no match for Kara and Alex. 

Kara finished clearing out the pile at the same time Alex rolled to her feet.  She caught Kara’s eye.  Did they dare contemplate a possible victory?  A sly smile slid across Alex’s face as she walked toward Kara, reaching an arm out to help her sister up.  

“The Danvers’-” 

A muffled crack reverberated in the distance, halting Alex’s words.  

Kara’s head tilted slightly, momentarily confused at how a lightning strike might occur in the middle of a snow storm.  A slight groan released by Alex, brought her attention back and she watched as Alex grasped at her stomach. A red liquid oozed through Alex’s fingers, running down the side of her hand. 

Kara pushed herself forward onto her knee just as Alex’s knees began to buckle, collapsing her body like a rag doll to the ground beside Kara.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prepare yourself

“Alex!”

Kara quickly glanced back, around a short crumbling wall, toward the source of the noise.  Lillian Luthor stood at the other end of the hollowed out building.  Next to her was her son Lex, arm extended, hand wrapped around some type of small black weapon.

“Shit.  I’ve been shot,” Alex groaned, pulling back Kara’s attention. 

“Alex,” she whimpered again, crawling along the ground on all fours to Alex.

“Go, Kara,” Alex grimaced, “get out of here.” 

Kara reached over, slid Alex’s hands away to put pressure on the gaping wound on her stomach.  Kara shook her head.  “No, I’m not leaving you.”

“It’s not an option.  You don’t have your powers,” Alex gasped.  “If they capture you again,...” her voice drifted off. 

“Please, Kara.”

A rush of emotions surged within Kara.  The one thing steady through the last few months.  The one thing that she had always been able to depend on while on this planet, that made her feel like her life mattered, was Alex.

She again shook her head.

“I can’t.”

The blood seeped out from under Kara’s hands, mixing in with the white snow that fell on Alex’s prone body.  She slid up closer, hunching over Alex to block the snow.  Provide some cover to keep her warm.  Alex writhed on the ground, eyes rolling back in her head.  She wouldn’t be able to hold on indefinitely.  This fight had to end now. 

Kara again took a look back.  The Luthors were still in place, hunched together.  Most likely discussing some elaborate attack plan.  There was some debris between her and them, so she would be able to find some cover along the way.  But, even if she were to get there.  Able to take out Lex and that gun, there was still Lillian and her suit. 

Alex shuddered beneath her hands. 

“Kara, no.”

Kara met Alex’s bleary eyes.  Going in headfirst, without a foolproof plan was a Danvers sister trait.  In any conflict, it was all or nothing.  The only objective that seemed to matter when they both were involved was that either both survived or neither did.

“Alex, you know I have to.  It’s the only way.” She grasped Alex’s shoulder.  “But, don’t worry.  I’ll be back and we’ll still have time to make it home and bake those pies for Christmas dinner.” She forced a smile.

“You make the pies.” Alex closed her eyes and breathed through the pain.  “I’ll bring the beverages.”

“Deal.”  Kara grabbed Alex’s hand and shoved it over the wound.  She then reached down and placed a kiss on Alex’s temple.

“Love you.”

 Alex forced her eyes back open.  Tried to focus on Kara. 

“Love you..too.”

Kara gathered herself and turned to make a break for the nearest pile of rubble.  Bullets pinged off the steel beams around her as she moved.  Darkness combined with Lex’s poor marksmanship at a moving target gave her a bit of an advantage. When she hit the first pile, she stopped to take in the surroundings.  From her view, almost all of the Children of Liberty had either fled or were lying unconscious in various positions around the structure.  Lockwood was nowhere in sight and the remaining aliens were incapacitated.  It was just her and the Luthors. 

Two more piles of rubble and Kara was within striking distance.  While her distance was in reach, available cover was not.  There was now nothing between her and them.  Squatting behind the large makeshift pile, she contemplated her next move. 

Even without her super hearing, she could distinguish movement on the other side.  Footsteps began shuffling across the concrete on either side of her. Lillian and Lex had split up.  She grabbed a small pipe.  It wasn’t much, but she would make do.  It was an unusual feeling having to rely on an external weapon to help take down an enemy. 

She evened out her breathing to focus all of her attention on the sounds around her.  The light wind whistling up the steel beams, the rustling of branches from the nearby trees, and a distinctive noise of grinding metal against metal to her right.  This had to be Lillian. Lex was on her left. Alex had taught her to eliminate the weakest link first.  That meant Lex.  If she could disarm him, she might have a chance against Lillian. 

Slowly, Kara made her way around the pile, trying to stay within the shadows of darkness for an advantage.  The further she went, the easier it was to hear Lex’s steps.  A rock kicked across the ground a couple of feet from her.  This was the sign she needed.  Without hesitation, she flung herself out of her hiding spot, toward the dark shape that was moving by her. 

The unmistakable sound of a gun firing and a smell of metallic sulfur filled the air.  Kara felt a burning sensation on her right side as she rammed Lex’s body, throwing the two of them onto the ground.  They struggled for the gun.  A second round was fired, the bullet searing her cheek as it sped by her face.  Kara finally was able to get a good grip on the handle and this time when it discharged, she felt no pain. 

The shocked look on Lex’s face was the only confirmation she needed.  His body went limp and she watched him gasp for breath. 

One down.  One to go.

Gun in hand, she quickly stepped away from Lex when she felt a hard, burning punch in her back.  It felt as though someone had reached inside her body, tore through each organ and landed on the other side.  She looked down and saw the pointed end of a green laced sword retracting from her diaphragm. 

Immediately, she felt all of her breath leave her lungs. She stumbled to the side.  Twisted her torso around and, struggling to stay upright, came face to face with Lillian.

“You will pay for this,” Lillian told Kara. 

Kara squeezed the trigger on the gun, knowing it would do no damage, but using the only defense that she had. 

The shots ricocheted off of the suit and Lillian laughed.  Kara staggered back.  The effort to stay upright became too much and she lost her footing, falling onto her backside.  As she laid on the ground, she felt the blood rush into her lungs, cutting off her oxygen. 

Lillian raised the sword above her head.  The corner of her mouth pulled up in a smirk and her eyes began to gleam.

“Crikey Lillian, don’t you look beastly!” A familiar voice broke through the air.

Kara tilted her head to make out the figure that stood in the distance.  Manchester Black.  Along with some other figures.  The Elite - Manchester’s army.  Kara had gone head to head with a few of them in the last months.  While she and the group did have a common enemy in Lockwood, Kara had personally condemned Manchester’s violent, take-no-prisoners approach. 

“This look really doesn’t suit you, Lillian,” Manchester observed.  “All that metal.  It’s a bit much, don’t you think?” He eased his way toward her.  “If you wanted superpowers, I’m sure your daughter would have been more than willing to give you a bit of her serum.  Like she did with my blokes here.” 

Lillian retreated from Kara to face her new threat.  She hesitated for a few seconds, contemplating her next move before turning to make a break for it, flying off with two of Manchester’s crew chasing her.

Manchester continued on to Kara.  He squatted down next to her, inspecting her wounds.

“Well, it looks like you’ve gotten yourself into a pickle here, huh Supergirl?” 

“Alex,” Kara sputtered and motioned to the spot where she had left Alex.  “You’ve got to help her,” she pleaded.

Manchester glanced up.  “Oh, we know.  We’ll get to her in a minute.”

“You - you know?”

“Yes, we got here a little late but, we were able to catch most of the show.”  He shook his head.  “You two really are blinding.  You lasted longer than I thought you would.”

“You - “ Kara sucked in a rattly breath ”- You’ve been here...this whole time? And you didn’t help?”  A scream drew Kara’s attention.  Lillian was on her knees.  One of Manchester’s crew towered over her.

“Hmm, I’m afraid so, love.”  He leaned over her body and picked at the frayed cloth around her wound.  Absently making an attempt to pull it together. 

“It wasn’t our intention when we came upon the scene.  But, after assessing the situation, we knew that we had to let this play out.”  He pulled back his hand, sat back on his heels, and crossed his arms over his knees. 

“You see, the distrust and hatred of aliens has consumed this planet.” He shook his finger at her.  “You know this firsthand.  Aliens are being chased down, murdered in their own homes.  We’re in the middle of a war with limited forces.”  He looked around him. “There are more warriors out there, but they lack the proper motivation to join the battle.  Something, or someone, has to propel them into action.”

Manchester looked back down at Kara, her chest heaving, trying to find air.  “I’m truly gutted to say it, but you’re that motivation.”  He nodded, convincing himself of the task ahead.  “That coward Lockwood was right about one thing.  You are the leader, the bloody Messiah for many who have arrived on this planet.   Even to some disillusioned humans.  And it will be your death by our enemy that will incite others to follow us into this war.”

More screams of anguish filled the air.  The remaining aliens and Children of Liberty forces were being eliminated.

“No,” Kara wheezed.  “This isn’t...the way.”

He locked his eyes onto Kara’s and cocked his head to the side.  “Why do you fight it?  I’ve seen that look in your eyes.  You’ve lost everyone that you’ve loved.  Bleeding hell, an entire world!”  He tapped her chest with his finger.  “You dream of death.”

Manchester pushed himself up to his feet. “Your sacrifice will fulfill both of our needs.”  He motioned at a couple of his crew to pick up an unconscious Alex.  “But, I’ll do a favour.  We’ll take care of the Director.  She’ll be the lone survivor, the last witness to tell the story of this tragedy.”

He stepped back as a couple of meta humans grabbed Kara under the arms and lifted her up, dragging her across the open area.

*****************

In the distance, a hooded man and woman watched with a small group of figures, hidden among the darkness of the trees.  The woman’s solemn face was pale except for the dark circles that lined the bottom of her haunted chestnut eyes.  She was restless, moving from foot to foot, wrapping and unwrapping her arms around her body, clenching and unclenching her gloved fists.  She took in a deep breath, then slowly let it out, trying to calm herself.

The man turned to her. 

“Do you want to leave?”

She shook her head.  “No,” she replied, voice clearly strained, staring straight ahead.  “We’ve tried other times and it hasn’t worked.”  She reached up and pushed the bangs of her auburn hair back under the hood, behind her ear.  “Nothing changed.”  She nodded toward the action in the building.  “It has to play out.  She said we had to let it happen.”  

The man continued to watch her.  He knew her pain, could feel it coursing through her. 

The woman felt his stare and finally turned her eyes on him.  She swallowed.  “This is the only way.” 

A final scream pierced the night air and the pair returned their attention to the scene playing out in the distance. 

Across the back of the structure, Kara had been lifted up to a high steel crossbeam.  Her head hung down, arms extended out, held to the beam by a wire binding wrapped around her wrists, her feet dangled in the air below her.  The tip of a broken green sword protruded out of her chest.  The alien savior had been sacrificed.

The two travelers took it in. 

It had begun. 

Tears streamed down the face of the female onlooker. The man reached out and caught her just as her legs gave out. 


	3. Chapter 3

_ National City, Dec. 22, 11:45 PM _

The hooded group stepped from the shadows of the forest and made their way toward the carnage that remained after Manchester and his crew withdrew from the area.  

They carefully navigated through the now silenced, shattered bodies that lay twisted on the red-stained snow within the desolate building. Toward the almost angelic figure that hung above on the crossbeam. Her blonde hair and cape flocked white from the snow. Stoically standing watch over the souls that lay at her feet.  

They moved quietly.  Faces grim. Trying to wipe away all emotion.  Gazes cast resolutely ahead to focus on the task at hand.

“Remember, we need to move quickly,” the hooded man directed, “the DEO will be here soon.”  

Three individuals scrambled up the steel columns and made their way across the beam to where Kara was suspended.  While two worked on the binding that held her wrists and body to the beam, the other looped a rope under her chest and arms.

Slowly her body was lowered.

Arms stretched out to cradle her as she neared the earth, removing her from the metal structure and placing her on a sheet stretched out on the ground.

The man and woman kneeled down on either side of Kara.  He grasped hold of the sword tip that still protruded from her body, slowly extracting it from its fatal resting point.  The woman waited quietly. Staring at the blood soaked suit before finally forcing her eyes up to Kara’s ashen face. She reached up and brushed the snow from Kara’s hair, then yanked off her glove to cup Kara’s cheek.

“She’s still warm.”

“Yes.  From the energy that’s stored in her body.”  He looked over to her. “You know this. It means nothing.”

She swallowed and slowly nodded.  “I know. It’s just... I didn’t see...before, I wasn’t....” She mumbled.

The man grabbed her elbow.  “We’ll make it right” - he gently shook her arm - “we will.  But, we need to go.” 

Wrenched out of her reverie, she tightened her jaw and tugged her glove back on.  They worked together, drawing the cape across Kara’s body, then pulling the sheet up over her head and wrapping it tightly around her.  

The two stood, allowing others in the group to transfer the swaddled body onto a makeshift litter.  A few minutes later, the entire group retreated back into the trees. A bright light emerged from deep within the trees and swallowed the group.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx  
_National City DEO Dec. 24_

“How’s she doing?”

“Her condition is stable. She has lost a significant amount of blood so, her body will be weak.  But, they were able to control her immediate injuries.  I am certain that she will make a full recovery.”

Brainy left his spot and walked to where J’onn was standing by the infirmary door. 

“She will be awake soon.  What are you going to tell her?”

“The truth.”

Brainy frowned.  “Isn’t this one of those times when it’s best to do what humans refer to as -”.  He stopped, searching his mind for the right words. “ - tell a white lie? To help ease her pain?”

J’onn looked back into the room.  “It’s the first thing she will ask about when she wakes up.  She’ll know if I’m lying,” he replied. “I’m afraid there’s no way of softening the blow.”

“J’onn,” a voice hesitantly called out.

“Alex,” he whispered.  He brushed by Brainy who left the room to give them some privacy.

J’onn reached Alex’s bedside, grabbing her hand when he neared.  

“Hey.  How’re you feeling?  Brainy said that you’re going to be fine.  That you’re going to make a full recovery. He said you might be a little weak, but I’ll lay odds that you’ll be back at your spot in the DEO in no time, pushing those new recruits into shape.”  He pushed up a smile. “They won’t know what hit them.”

J’onn rambled on because in spite of what he told Brainy, he wanted to prolong telling her the truth as long as possible.  Wanted to protect her from the insurmountable pain that he knew she would face. That he himself had felt over a hundred years ago and that had been rekindled within him these last couple of days.

“Where’s Kara?”   

Time was up.  

J’onn dropped her hand and stepped to the side to grab a nearby stool.  

Her eyes followed his movements.  His shoulders sagged with each heavy step and the muscles along his neck danced as he ground his teeth into the back of his jaw. The image sent her mind flashing back, to a time almost 15 years ago.  Of Eliza, stepping into her bedroom to tell both her and Kara why the men from the government had paid a visit. Why her dad wouldn’t be coming back from his latest assignment.

Stomach rolling, she clutched at the blanket.  Her heart skipped a beat before jumping into gear, pushing the adrenalin through her body.  

“J’onn, where is she?” She asked, sliding herself up in the bed, stopping mid-rise from the pain.  

“Uh uh,” he said, shifting his trajectory back to the bed.  “Don’t. You’ll pull out your stitches.” 

“J’onn, please,” she pleaded.   “Where is she?”

He grabbed the stool, sat down next to her bed and reached for her hand again.

“Alex.  Kara didn’t make it.”

An icy chill ran through her body, numbing her brain.  “Huh? What? What do you mean?” 

He cleared his throat, tightened up his grip on her hand.  “I mean, she didn’t make it, Alex,” he repeated. “Lockwood and his group, they took her and they-”.

“No.“ She shook her head.  “Uh uh. Don’t say it. Don’t tell me that she’s gone, J’onn.”

“I’m sorry, Alex.”

“No!”  She snapped her hand away from his like it was a flame in a scorching fire.  Wrapped her arms around her body, trying to stop the sting that seared through to her heart.  Her eyes bore into J’onn’s. Saw the pain behind them. Knew what he was telling her was true.  But, her mind wouldn’t work. Wouldn’t allow her to make sense of it. To connect with it. 

Kara was still alive. She had to be.  They either both survived or neither did.  She was going to be right back. That’s what she said and Kara doesn’t lie.  It was her motto or something. Alex didn’t really get it. Lying was sometimes a necessity.  A part of human -

“Wait.  Lockwood?” She vehemently shook her head. “No.  That can’t be. I took him out. This isn’t right.” 

Her mind grasped onto what she thought was a thread of hope.  Something to stop her head from spinning. To stop herself from falling into a reality that she had no desire to exist in.

“It might not have been him personally.  It could have been Lillian or Lex. It’s not clear.  We’re still trying to piece together all of the details.”  

Lillian.  How could she have forgotten about her?  

“We’ll figure it out.  But Alex, regardless of who did it, we’re certain that Kara didn’t survive.”

“I don’t - No.  How am I… I don’t understand?” J’onn’s words flew by her, tumbling like waves across her mind.  All logic had left her. She felt her eyes dance around the room. But, she only saw Kara, leaning over her.  Telling her she loved her before darting away. 

“What - what happened?”

“I think that maybe it’s best we wait to go over it.  You need to rest. We can talk -”

“No,  J’onn!  Tell me!” Alex yelled.  She had been trying to find an explanation, but there wasn’t any to be found.  Tried escaping this reality, but couldn’t. Her insides were in chaos and the pain was burning. It was all wrong, but she had to know.

J’onn slowly nodded.  “Okay.” He drew in a deep breath and let it out.  

“The other night a video was posted online.  One that showed Lockwood and his group putting on some type of quasi-trial.  You were there. Kara. And the captured aliens.” 

Alex closed her eyes.  _ Justice needs to be upheld _ .  “His trial of hate.” Her stomach lurched again and she pushed her fist into her chest.

“Well, as you know, we had been looking for you in the days prior to that.  The DEO wasn’t cooperating, so Kara and I were working on our own. With occasional help from Brainy when he could give it.  But, after the first few days of not finding you, she became distant. Going off on her own for hours and not talking to me.”

“Uh hmm,” Alex replied.  Her eyes burned and she looked up to the ceiling.  “That’s what Kara does when she thinks she might lose someone.  When she gets afraid.”  _ How can she be gone? _

“No one even knew that she had found you until we saw her on that video.  As soon as it came in, the DEO started working on trying to pinpoint your location. We were aware that it wasn’t a live feed, but we were hoping that it would still be able to lead us to you.  And then a few minutes later, Manchester showed up at the DEO with you.”

She turned her head back toward J’onn.  “Manchester?” 

“Yes.  He and his band of meta humans. Dropped you off and gave us the coordinates of the...of the event.”

“Dropped me off?  And Kara? What about her?”

“She was still back at the location.”  

“At the location?” she repeated.  “Why?” she asked, voice raising up in pitch.  “Why didn’t he bring her?” Her mind began racing and she pushed herself up again. Grimaced and fell back into the bed once more. 

“Alex, don’t.” J’onn could feel her distress.  It had been building up in him with each minute of their conversation.  Destroying her and eating him up inside at the same time. He inched forward on the stool.  Grasped onto his thighs.

“Maybe we could have saved her, J’onn!” she cried, sliding her hand down to her bandaged stomach.

“No, Alex.”  He dropped his head and shook it.  “She was already gone. There was nothing that could have been done.”

“You don’t know that!  She could have gotten her powers back -”

“No.”

“You know it takes awhile for them to come back to full-strength!”  

“Alex - .“

“She could have just been wounded and then healed -.”

“Alex, no.” 

“It happened before, J’onn!  Remember, when she-”

“She was crucified, Alex!”  He stood up abruptly. With each denial, her grief had consumed him. It was more than he could hold in.  “They put her up on a steel beam, stuck a kryptonite sword in her chest and they crucified her! We saw it!  It was on the video! The whole world saw Kara hanging…” His words died out as his eyes landed on Alex. 

Her face had paled.  Mouth frozen open. Her chestnut eyes had lost their harshness, becoming rounder, more glossy.

“Oh, Alex”- he moved back to her - “I’m sorry.”  

“They crucified her?” Alex asked in a voice so small that he almost didn’t hear.  

He nodded and grasped her hand again. “Yes.”

“But, why?” Voice soft, fragile.  Breaking. Caught between words and the sob that she had desperately been trying to hold down. It just didn’t make sense.  Nothing was right. Kara couldn’t be gone. 

“We don’t know why.  That’s some of the details we’re still trying to figure out.  There was a break on the video between the trial and the...the time when she was killed.”  

“I want to see her.”  Alex roughly wiped at the tears that had escaped. Sniffled and once again pushed herself up, gently this time so not to pull at her wound.  “I need to see her.”

“You can’t Alex.” 

“I have to, J’onn! Don’t tell me that I need to wait!  That I need to rest!” Her face twisted in pain. “Don’t you see?” she pleaded.  “I’ve got to feel her. Hold her. To make this real because it’s not, J’onn” She shook her head.  “It’s just not.” 

“You can’t see her Alex.  We - we don’t have her.”

“What?”  Her eyes furrowed together. “What do you mean you don’t have her?  Where is she?”

“We don’t know,” he said.  “After Manchester dropped you off, we went to the location where you were held.  Where she was supposed to be, but she wasn’t there. We found the bodies of Lockwood’s crew, the aliens that were captured and Lillian.  But, not Kara.”

“If you didn’t find her then -”

J’onn held up his hand.  “No. Don’t. We know, Alex.  We found the spot where she had been placed.  It was saturated with blood. Her blood. There’s no way that she could have survived.”  

“I don’t understand,” she cried.  The raw pain was devouring her. Each breath was a struggle.  Her soul felt cracked and she was certain that the emptiness she felt would never be filled again.  She wrapped her arms around her, bending into herself despite the pain, she rocked back and forth.

She felt the nausea rise and quickly twisted her torso to the other side of the bed.  But, two days of a liquid diet had left her stomach mostly empty. As she hunched over, retching, J’onn moved to sit next to her on the bed.  He held onto her shoulders, waiting for it to end.

Finally, when nothing else came, J’onn pushed a Kleenex into her hand.  Alex wiped her mouth and turned to him, the tears flowing freely now.  “Why, J’onn? Why?” 

J’onn wrapped his arms around her.  “I don’t know, Alex. But, we will find her.  Brainy is working on it and I’m going to find Manchester to clear up the details.”  

As her sobs grew heavier, he pulled her head under his chin and into his chest.  

“We’ll find her, Alex.  We will.”

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a note that while The Sacrifice does take some of the story framework and characters from the current season, it will not follow it directly. I have added a few details from the show's ongoing story when it fit in with this plot, but the overall direction and events will be separate from what is going on in the show.
> 
> These next couple of chapters might be considered filler by some, but they're necessary pieces to move the story along. As always, thank you for reading and leaving feedback.

Hours later, after riding the desolate waves of "what-if's", shouts of rage and periods of silent despair, Alex finally sunk into a deep sleep. Drained of emotional reserve. A hollow shell of her previous existence.

J'onn sat nearby, watching her sleep and reflecting on the last few years.

After his wife and daughters had been ripped away so many years ago, J'onn never thought that the pain seared into his chest would ever heal. The emptiness. And for over one hundred years, it hadn't. But, a chance encounter with an injured human, a species he once believed to be an enemy, gave him a connection in a way he thought unimaginable. It sent him two beings, two wonderful souls to hold in his heart. It became his solemn vow to shelter them, to protect them from injury and sorrow.

But, this...this had shattered their lives. Fragmented their existence with a horrible pain that had forced its way in. He knew he wouldn't be able to heal Alex, that had to come from within. But, Alex's mind was strong and he could at least help slow the grief down. Find her sister's body so eventually she could start taking steps to get out from under it. At this point, it was all he could do.

He tucked the light blanket around Alex's shoulders and left the infirmary. On his way down the stairs he spotted Brainy, the recently immigrated alien and newest DEO acquisition, standing near the center podium.

"Brainy," J'onn stated, "have you been able to find out any more on what happened at the site?"

Brainy snapped his head around to face J'onn. He held up his finger, took in a quick breath as if to reply and let it out. "No, I have not."

The alien scientist's twelfth level intellect provided him with knowledge and information that went beyond what the average human, even the average alien, could ever begin to process. His capability to predict outcomes and generate solutions was equally matched only to the level of confidence in himself to do so. As a result, on those rare occasions when he didn't have a solution, the uncertainty was dumbfounding and very...uncomfortable. It drove him into overdrive to find a resolution that would alleviate the unfamiliar feeling.

He quickly scanned the room, searching for any sign of Colonel Haley. "But -" he walked to a side computer console. "- I have been scanning and analyzing data from multiple sources around the time of the event. And there are some readings that are rather... unusual."

"Unusual?" J'onn asked, following behind him.

"Yes, some high frequency energy and matter signatures." Brainy sat down, tapped on the keyboard and pointed to the screen. "These marks appeared about a mile away early in the evening" - he hit a couple more keys - "and then there was another spike here...a few hours later." He glanced over his shoulder at J'onn.

J''onn squinted at the screen, trying to understand the data. But, technobabble was never his forte, so it was an effort in futility.

Recognizing the frown and lack of response as an indicator of confusion, Brainy continued. "I'm creating an algorithm to test some theories that will help me narrow down the possibilities."

"I see." J'onn cupped his chin and nodded in spite of not really knowing any more than he did before. "Alright. Keep me posted."

"Yes, I will. With Colonel Haley still in charge, it will be more difficult to continue my research, but I am certain that I will find a way."

"Find a way to do what?" Colonel Haley entered the area undetected by either J'onn or Brainy.

The Colonel was a brash, no-nonsense military leader who scrutinized alien involvement in DEO affairs, utilized aliens as a means to an end and didn't tolerate any deviance from her directive or orders. She had been assigned oversight duties at the DEO after a series of events were mishandled by the department. And now, she had her eye on the two aliens standing at the front of her command center.

"Colonel Haley." Brainy quickly stood. Placing himself between her and the computer screen. Ever since she took over the duties at the DEO, Brainy had become determined to master the art of subterfuge.

"Find a way...to improve performance within the agency -" he continued, nodding. "- Yes, to create... an efficient response system that is better able to meet your remarkable standards."

The Colonel eyed Brainy suspiciously before turning her attention to J'onn.

"Mr. Jones, I take it that you're here to see Agent Danvers?"

J'onn nodded politely. "Yes, I just finished checking on her."

"I see. Well, that's one good thing to come out of all this. The DEO is very happy that we were able to get Agent Danvers back and that she will be making a full recovery."

"And Supergirl? J'onn asked. "I take it that the DEO will be just as eager to get her back. Dedicating its resources to locating her?"

"No, as far as the DEO is concerned, that chapter is closed."

"Closed?" J'onn questioned. "How can it be closed? She's still missing."

"Supergirl was considered an enemy of the state, Mr. Jones. A wanted fugitive. While we certainly didn't want it to end as it did, it was unfortunately, always a possible outcome due to her previous criminal interference."

"Her criminal interference?" J'onn's voice rose at the accusation. "She saved Agent Danvers and tried saving those captured aliens. Sacrificing her own life to do so. She's not a criminal, Colonel. She's a hero and deserves the dignity that goes with that title."

Haley drew her shoulders back.

"My hands are tied, Mr. Jones," she replied. "As you are aware, the Children of Liberty forces, along with Lillian Luthor were killed. Their bodies recovered. Lex Luthor is incapacitated from the injuries he received and so, that eliminates the players."

She briefly dropped her eyes to the floor. "And...the President believes that a crazed zealot is most likely the one responsible for taking Supergirl's body. We'll certainly keep an ear out for leads, but at this point there's nothing more that the DEO can do."

"Nothing more -". J'onn stopped.

He knew that the DEO had reorganized their priorities once Haley arrived and Kara resigned. Even Alex continuing in the role of Director hadn't been able to reverse the DEO's downward spiral. But this? He tilted his head away from her, reached up and rubbed the back of his neck.

"And Ben Lockwood? What about him?" he asked.

The Colonel nodded her head. "Yes, he is still at large. We have agents assigned to locate him. And when we do, he will be held accountable for his part in this tragedy."

She took a moment to smooth out the front of her skirt and tug down the bottom of her suit jacket.

"Mr. Jones, when Agent Danvers was missing and we received the video, I allowed you to be involved in the search. As a favor to the former DEO commander. But, now that she has been recovered, there isn't any reason for you to be involved. In the future, if you need something, I would expect that you speak to me directly with any concerns."

She looked between the two men. "Is that understood?"

J'onn tightened up his jaw. No, he really didn't understand and there was so much more that he wanted to say and ask. Questions and concerns about the her role in Kara's resignation, her desire to control Kara and the events that were put into play leading up to Kara's eventual death. But, he bit back the words because he still needed access to the DEO's resources to continue with his investigation.

"Yes, Colonel Haley." Brainy interjected.

"Good. Now, if you will excuse me, I have a report I need to prepare." She turned and left the room.

"That woman tries my patience," Brainy stated after the colonel was out of ear shot.

"Yes, mine, too." J'onn sighed and turned to Brainy. "I'm going to track down Manchester. Get some more answers from him. You have my number. Let me know when you're able to decipher that energy...matter...thing."

xxxxxxxxxxx

_Warehouse Loading Dock, Somewhere in National City, Dec. 25th_

"Nathan, how are the - Bugger!" Manchester exclaimed, narrowly side-stepping a forklift that swerved into his path as he crossed the warehouse floor.

"Sorry, dude." A face with scaly skin and yellow eyes, peered around the large container that was piled on top of the forklift. "Didn't see you there," the driver said, before turning the equipment and driving it to its destination.

Manchester shook his head and continued on to an office that was situated off to the side. "How are the numbers for our forces outside of National City?"

A man sitting at a desk, reading a document while holding a half eaten sandwich looked up. He shoved the croissant into his mouth and shook his head.

"Not as good as we were hoping," he mumbled, opening up the laptop that was lying on the desktop. He slid his fingers across the touchscreen. "We have 37 new recruits in Oakland, 41 in Austin, 43 in New York and 35 in my old stomping grounds of Chicago" - his eyes flitted further down the screen - "we also have some scattered across the rest of the states, but they're in smaller pockets. And outside of the US, the numbers are even smaller."

"So, only a smidgen over 150. That's a load of bollocks. What's going on?" Manchester grabbed a pickle off of the man's plate and flopped down in a chair next to the desk. "Where are all the new recruits that we were certain would come out of the woodwork once we had our martyr?"

Nathan leaned back in his chair. "They don't believe it. Yeah, the President gave a very hollow albeit, stirring speech acknowledging her death as a hero and all. But, they're still not buying it."

He shrugged his shoulders. "Without proof, many think she survived and that the government is involved in a conspiracy to cover their ass. They think the DEO is still searching for her and that she's out there, keeping a low profile."

"So, we need a body. Confirmation." Manchester leaned forward in his chair and clasped his hands together. "Even though Baker listed Supergirl as a criminal, he's not completely daft. He knows she had a following and with his ego, he'd want to take advantage of that. So, why not hold a public funeral? Give them what they wanted and regain some legitimacy?"

"Beats me."

A cockroach in the corner of the floor caught Manchester's eye. He watched as it scurried along the wall, weaving in and out of the cabinets as it moved toward its destination. Choosing obscurity over the faster, more direct route.

The newly acquired "guest" being held at another site had just provided Manchester with information on the location of the Children of Liberty forces. So, they had the Intel, they just needed the manpower to act on it before the advantage was lost.

The roach darted around the base of a nearby cabinet and Manchester stretched his leg out, crushing the bug under his boot. He needed to quit hiding in the shadows. Take the bull by its horns and make things happen.

He stood up. "I'm going to find out what's going on," he said, plucking a chip off of Nathan's plate. "We didn't go down into the pit of hell just to have it all go to pot. I'll pay a visit to my old bloke, J'onn Jones. Offer up my condolences and pick his brain while I'm at it."

"Aren't you afraid that he'll," Nathan whistled, "you know, mess with the ole' noggin" - tapped his head - "check out what's inside?"

"Nah, mate - "Manchester began walking away " - Ever since I got my powers from that serum, no one gets access into this treasure chest" - pointing at his own head - "but me."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Combined a couple of chapters, so this one will be a bit longer.

_National City - Columbus Tower, Office of Private Investigator, John Jones, Dec. 25_

"Yes, I guess you could say I'm calling in that favor." 

J'onn spoke into his cell phone as he shuffled through the files scattered on the long table in his private investigation office. It had been a long year since he moved into his new place. One that had begun with such high hope. Starting the business had been a fresh start for him. A way of helping others without the restriction and mandates that always stood in his way while at the DEO. How quickly though, that year of hope had morphed into one of anger, hate and despair.

The late afternoon sun began to drop, darkening the upper level of the loft building, casting long shadows across his work area. Silently telling him that it was time to close up shop. But, J'onn had other plans. There was a duty that needed to be fulfilled and it wasn't going to happen sitting in his recliner, drinking a cold beer at home. He pushed himself up and away from the table and walked across the room to snap on the light.

"Anything that you hear about what took place at the abandoned warehouse on the end of Synergy Lane the other night or information on Manchester Black and Ben Lockwood, I need to know. Anything at all," he requested, nodding at the exchange on the other end of the phone as he retreated back to the table.

"Yes, it was a real tragedy," he replied. His front entry door rattled and he turned to see Alex shuffling her way into his office. Frowning, he returned his attention to the voice on the phone.

"No, I'm positive there won't be anything," he replied, again nodding. "Yes, I understand they want to pay their respects. Charlie, listen I need to -".

As the man on the other end spoke, J'onn's eyes followed Alex as she slid along the edge of the table, fingering the files that lie on top.

"Yes, I know she was a symbol."

Continuing around the front edge of the table, Alex stepped toward the small wooden desk that sat in the alcove of the window. She reached for the snapshot of J'onn, Kara and herself.

"Hey Charlie, I need to go. Just let me know if you come up with anything" - J'onn nodded again - "okay, yeah...will do. Thanks, Charlie."

Sighing, he pushed the end button on his phone and watched Alex.

Her slender frame stooped over the desk, shoulders angled at him. She was clad in her normal casual attire. Skinny jeans, simple cranberry V neck t-shirt, black ankle boots, topped off with the signature black leather jacket that Kara had given to her for Christmas a couple of years prior. But, the polished clothing couldn't conceal the tattered body that lay underneath.

Limp and lifeless hair hung down, obscuring one side of her face. Purple bruising along the cheekbone popped against a pasty-white complexion on the other. Shadows lined dull eyes that were sunk back into their sockets. And the corners of her mouth turned down, lost among the deep lines etched along her jaw.

"People want a public funeral for Supergirl." Words flat, devoid of any emotion were thrown over her shoulder.

He nodded in affirmation.

She turned back to study the photo one more time. Hand clearly trembling as she clasped it. Replacing it, she turned to face him.

"Morbid curiosity. One of our most crude tendencies."

"Alex, that's not really fair." He walked up the long end of the table. Closing some of the distance between the two. "Kara was a hero for many on this planet. They just want to pay their respects. It's their way of thanking her. The only way they have."

He laid his phone on the table. "Why are you here? Out of bed? Out of the DEO?" He pointed to her stomach which she was currently cradling with her hand. "You need to heal."

"I talked to Brainy. He said you were going to track down Manchester to get more information from him. I need to be there when you do."

"I'm not sure that's a wise decision."

"Why? Because I'm injured?" The smile she sent him was cutting. "Hell, I've been hurt worse than this and it's nothing compared to what Kara wen-". 

Eyes filling with tears, she wheeled away from him. Shaking her head, she drummed the side of her fist on the desktop. God, why couldn't she stop crying? Kara had died saving her and now she couldn't even manage to hold it together long enough to find out what happened to her.

She took in a shaky breath, composed herself and pivoted to face J'onn once more.

"I saw the video."

All the horrible images had screamed at her as she watched. Paralyzing her mind. Snatching away her breath. Forever burnt into her skull. It was everything that she imagined that it would be, but worse.

"And now you want to punish yourself like she was punished."

Alex scowled at him. He knew her too well. "No," she denied. "I want justice. I want those who did this to her to suffer."

Between the bouts of fury and sadness, it was this assurance...that she would find Lockwood. That she would inflict an agony on him worse than anything that he could ever begin to imagine, a pain far beyond what Kara had endured, that drove her to keep living, keep breathing. To put one foot in front of the other.

And still, she knew it wouldn't be enough.

"Most of all...I just want her back."

She crossed her arms, pulling her elbows into her body. Her gaze shifted out the window and she quietly watched the display outside. Carolers strolled along the sidewalk, couples snuggled in coffee shops, shoppers dashed into storefronts to pick up last minute gifts.

There wouldn't be any more holidays in the loft. No more left-over meat pies or classic movie marathons. Kara was gone, but life went on. And it wasn't fair.

"After those months, when I was unable to remember who she was... with the way I treated her." Thrusting her hands into her jeans pockets, Alex slumped back against the desk.

"You didn't know it was her, Alex."

She gave him a scorching look, "You think that's supposed to matter?" she seethed. 

Digging her fingernails into her palms, she took in a breath. Her anger was lying right at the surface and it didn't take much to scratch it...But, this was J'onn.

Hanging her head, "I should have been better," she confessed. "I shouldn't have needed memories to be able to empathize with Supergirl. To have more compassion."

"It's been a crazy year, Alex. Emotions strung high with antagonists deliberately twisting them. Dividing everyone, pushing people further apart and making it harder to come together," he responded, walking to her.

"In spite of all that...you did. You and Kara found each other and worked your way back" - he put his hand on her shoulder - "she never lost faith that you would be able to do that, Alex. And she was right not to."

Alex nodded, lifted her head to meet his eyes. "And her faith in me is why I need to be involved now. Once again, she saved me, J'onn. And this time, died doing it. She deserves better. At the very least, I can help her find peace."

The office door creaked open and Manchester poked his head around the door frame. "Help who find peace?"

///

"Manchester," J'onn replied. Surprised that after all his searching, the man would just breeze into his office, unprompted. "You're a hard man to track down."

"Really? You weren't any trouble at all." Manchester noted the business inscription on the decaled glass door. "Dabbling in a new hobby, I see."

Pulling the door shut behind him, he stepped further into the room. His eyes landed on Alex, who looked like she'd been drug through hell and didn't seem eager to be back.

"Nice to see you, Director. You're looking well in spite of being on death's door just a few days ago." He lied because experience had taught him that flattery always got him further than the cold hard truth. And right now, he was in need of some truths.

But, Alex had her own cold hard experiences. Knew the details of what he'd done to J'onn and easily saw through his cajoling. In spite of this, she gave a curt nod. The only acknowledgement he would get for his part in her rescue.

Manchester swung his head around the room, taking in the vast room. "So, who are we helping find peace?" He asked again as he strolled down the corridor of tables, desks and furniture that littered the outside edge of the room.

J'onn tossed a glance at Alex. "No one," he brusquely replied, stepping down the long table that held his work files. He shuffled them into a pile. "I have some questions for you."

The tepid atmosphere was not lost on Manchester. He would have his work cut out for him. "I'm all yours," he stopped, leveled a smile at J'onn and spread his arms as he presented a mock bow.

"Tell us more about the other night."

Eyeing the bookcase at the end of the room, Manchester continued toward it. "Sure, what do you want to know?" he asked.

"All of it," Alex interjected.

She watched Manchester carefully as he scanned the books on the shelves. The man was smooth, she'd give him that. He had the appearance of being very calm, cool and collected, but his eyes gave him away. They flitted from spot to spot around the room, never landing on one place very long. Like he knew if he left them sitting, someone would see the secrets that lie behind them.

He pulled a book off the shelf. "Sir Doyle?" he remarked as he turned and held it out toward J'onn. "A sure classic for any novice trying to break into the business."

Arms crossed and leaning against the table, J'onn said nothing. His quiet, noncommittal rebuke pushed Manchester's attention back toward Alex.

"You sure you want to hear all of it?" he asked her. "I can't dress up the details."

Alex only hesitated briefly before nodding. She returned to her spot against the desk, bracing herself for the story she really didn't want to hear, but needed to know.

"Alright," he replied. He slid the book back into its spot on the shelf and turned back to face J'onn and Alex.

"Early last week, we got wind of a group of alien hostages that had been taken by Lockwood," he began. "Of course, we'd had run-ins with him before and knew what he was capable of. So, we decided to do some of our own searching. Try to get to them before their names were added to his growing list of victims. After a couple of days, we were able to come up with a lead and we ran with it."

"What lead?" J'onn asked. "How did you come up with it?"

"Using good ole' fashioned leg work" - he grinned and winked at J'onn -"based on your reading material you know how that works, private sources and all."

Manchester's repeated pokes in jest didn't fool J'onn. They were challenges and he wasn't taking the bait. His dark steely gaze remained fixed on Manchester.

"Anyway," Manchester continued, "we went to check it out and sure enough, the Jason Voorhees anti-alien fan-club were holed up there." Manchester's desire for evasiveness propelled him back to the bookcase. Scanning the shelves as he talked.

"Unfortunately, by the time we arrived, they had already killed the alien hostages, pinned Supergirl up on that metal structure and were standing back admiring their work like she was some kind of da Vinci masterpiece."

Alex's heart slammed against her chest. Images from the video forced their way back into her head and she wrapped her arms around her. Clutching her sides, inflaming her wound in the hope that, somehow the physical pain might prevent the scream threatening to tear out of her.

She fought it down. All of it, until she could finally speak.

"Who was there?" she squawked. Determined to see this through.

"Lillian, Lex, Lockwood and about half dozen or so of his forces." He threw the information out, like it held no weight.

Alex and J'onn exchanged glances. "Lockwood was with them?" Alex asked.

"Yep" - Manchester pulled another book off the shelf - "looking a bit worse for the wear, battered and bruised, but proudly standing by their side, nonetheless."

J'onn knew that was a detail that needed to be examined on a closer level, but they needed more information. Something just didn't fit.

"What happened then?"

Another book was replaced. Another was pulled. "Well, of course we were enraged to find the senseless murder of those we stand next to, those we fight for. I couldn't hold back my team's thirst for revenge, so we attacked. Took out Lillian, Lex and some of Lockwood's men."

"And Lockwood?" Alex followed-up.

"We were outnumbered, had our hands full trying to battle Lillian and the spinney, little coward was able to slip away."

J'onn and Alex again made eye-contact. There was electricity beyond her eyes. Lockwood was out there, escaping justice once more. They would find him. And when they did, J'onn knew that he would have trouble reigning Alex in.

But, at the moment, Alex had a different path she needed to follow. She looked at the floor before turning back to Manchester.

"Why me? she implored. "Why just bring me back and not anyone else?"

It was a question that had been eating at her since J'onn first told her what happened. A question that, like a burr, wouldn't leave her be and told her time and again that maybe Kara could have been saved. If only they had not left her. There might have been a chance. Wish as she might, she couldn't shake the feeling and knew that J'onn wouldn't be pleased.

The anguish resonating in her voice pulled at Manchester, forcing him around.

He regarded her physical condition more closely. Measured her openly, head to toe. The injuries imprinted on her body invoked a memory. It was am image of Supergirl hunched over the Director after she went down during their fight to break free. That night, he didn't think much of it. There were other pressing concerns. But, now it felt like more. Supergirl's careful movements and overt concern as she tended to the Director's wounds. Then later, her desperate pleas to save the Director. It felt like it was more than just a hero attempting to help an injured victim. There was a connection.

"As I said, our numbers were small," he said. "Some of my crew were badly injured and I needed to get them help. You were the only one still alive, so I made a decision to grab you and let the DEO come back to pick up the rest."

"And Lex," J'onn added.

"What?" Manchester asked.

"Lex Luthor" - J'onn watched him closely - "he survived, too."

"He-" Manchester said, almost choking on his response. Then, quickly recovering, "are you joking?"

"I am not."

Manchester gnawed on the revelation. They had assumed that Lex was dead, that Supergirl had killed him in their fight. That had been a mistake on their part. One that could come back and hurt them. One that would need to be taken care of.

"I guess we weren't as concerned about getting help for the murderers," he finally replied. "Didn't check for life on them." He eyed J'onn. "The wanker offering up any information?"

J'onn shrugged his shoulders. "Couldn't say. Private sources and all," he smirked.

Manchester chuckled at the jab. He shoved his hands back in his coat pocket, mulling over this bit of news.

J'onn sensed that Manchester's well of information had run dry. He and Alex needed to dissect what they were told. Determine their next steps and they couldn't do that with Manchester hanging around.

"So, what did you need?"

"Hmm?" Manchester asked, still lost in his thoughts.

"Why are you here? What did you come for?"

"Oh, right. Supergirl," Manchester replied.

"What about her?" Alex asked. Immediately on alert.

Again, Alex's defensive tone caught Manchester's attention. It was something that he would definitely need to explore as he plunged ahead.

He held up his hands. "No ill will here. I was a massive fan," he protested. "And it's because of my admiration for her and my connection to those like her that I am here."

Moving up the far side of the center table toward Alex, he continued. "As you know, I spend a lot of time in the alien community. Ever since Fiona was taken from me, they've become like a family to me." He looked at Alex. "I know that you worked closely with Supergirl so, I offered to come talk to you. Supergirl wasn't just a hero to National City. She was just like them. An alien in this world. And they're desperate to have some type of public viewing to pay their respects."

"That's not possible," Alex quickly responded.

"Why not?"

"It's - it's just not." Alex said.

J'onn stepped in. "What Alex means is that the Kryptonian culture is very private regarding these types of formalities. It's customary that the deceased is cared for only by immediate family and friends."

"But, surely an exception can be made in this case," Manchester argued. "She was one of their own. Almost like a god to them. She provided hope even in these last few dark months. They -"

"As one of their own, I'm certain that the alien community would be very understanding for the need to respect the culture of others. Wouldn't you agree?" J'onn countered.

Manchester looked back and forth between Alex and J'onn. The attachment of the Director to Supergirl along with the determined alliance between these two was very curious. There was more going on than they wanted to let on and Manchester knew that this would be the avenue for his answers. He would just need to be patient in getting them.

"Of course," he nodded. "I will inform the community leaders."

"You're able to find your way out," J'onn stated, letting him know that the conversation was finished.

Manchester smiled. "I found my way in, I'm certain I can manage." He gave a polite nod to Alex and made his way out the door.


	6. Chapter 6

"What do you think?" J'onn asked after Manchester left.

Alex watched Manchester out the window as he crossed the busy street. Car wheels screeched and horns honked as he brazenly stepped in front of the oncoming traffic. The man definitely didn't lack confidence.

When Alex first became a DEO officer, she wanted to believe in people, that their intentions were good. Kara had influenced her in that respect. So early on, Alex had a tendency to take everyone she interviewed at face value. But, experience had left her jaded and she now had less faith in people, trusting little of what they said. While that approach might have made her more hardened, it's also what made her a good agent. Her instincts were now telling her that Manchester was lying and she wanted to know why.

"I think he dressed up the details," she replied and turned back to J'onn. "Were you able to get anything?"

J'onn shook his head. "No, somehow he was able to block me." He walked back to the files on the table. "Something he said got me thinking though." He grabbed a file and opened it. "Manchester said that when they got to the site, Kara and the aliens had already been taken out. They then engaged in a difficult battle with Lillian and crew, triaged their own forces, grabbed you and returned to the DEO." He looked at Alex.

"Do you happen to know approximately when Lockwood began filming?"

Alex moved to the table next to him. "Maybe around 8:30...9:00?" She leaned into the table and read the file he was scanning. "I remember looking at my watch about 20 minutes into it so yeah, I'd pin it somewhere in that time frame."

J'onn pointed to a line on the file. "He dropped you off at the DEO at 11:12. So, that's about two and a half hours until you were brought in." He looked at Alex. "We need to figure out a timeline to see how all this fits."

Alex nodded. Standing up, she ran a hand through her hair and began to slide around J'onn. "We can do that, but first I want to see Lex."

Frowning, J'onn pulled away from the table. "Even if Lena were to let you in to see him, I'm not sure he's in any shape to be able to answer questions." He threw at her as she walked by.

"After everything that she's done, she owes us and I have no problem reminding her of that if she chooses to deny us access." Alex turned back to him. "And as far as what Lex remembers well," she shrugged, "we have you to help dig those memories out."

J'onn looked into Alex's eyes. He'd seen a lot over the course of his lifetime, but the cold, distant pools of brown that had replaced the familiar compassionate disposition unnerved him. "Alex, I need to know that your head's on straight for this. I can't have Kara's death clouding your judgement, forcing me to spend resources worrying about you getting in over your head."

"What happened to Kara will not happen to me," she replied. "Her death and my pursuit of this will not bleed together. But, I will do whatever it takes to get Lockwood." She smiled a wicked promise. "This time, I will stop him."

The concern on his face only deepened.

Stepping back to him, she reached her arms up and grabbed him around the neck. She held onto him for a minute. "Don't worry J'onn. You won't lose both of us." Releasing him, she turned and headed toward the door. "I need to stop by Kara's apartment. I'll meet you at L-Corp when I'm finished."

* * *

_Pamukkale, Turkey December 25th 7:30 PM_

Tucked into a crevice and hidden from view by means of a rock overhang, the cave they were in wasn't visible, which saved Mo some trouble because as a general rule, Mo tried to avoid trouble. She wasn't Penn. Always rushing into things.. getting into difficulties that could have been avoided just to save someone or another.

Or Luc, who in contrast to Penn, was careful and cautious. Respectable traits, but even so, he somehow still managed to be right by Penn's side during his foray into conflict. Because, unfortunately, along with those very admirable characteristics, Luc also had a very irritating trait. An intense loyalty to Penn. To all of them really and Mo couldn't figure out why. Sure, they were a team and had become companions over the course of the last few years. But, their world was one in which personal attachment had too much of an emotional cost.

Luc's allegiance even encompassed their new friend. Someone they had only known for the last year - Dani, who never ceased to get on Mo's last nerve with all her talk of duty, passion and service. Not to mention her not so secret desire to kill herself, and take one of them with her in the process.

At least Dani's father-friend, Jonah was better. He didn't give those frowns and disappointed looks when Mo expressed her doubts about one of their elaborate plans or missions. And the depth of his knowledge and experience with forces that went beyond the natural was very relatable to her. It gave them a bit of connection.

Speaking of Dani…  _hmmm._ Mo turned from sorting the ingredients for the ritual and looked around their acquired abode for the obstinate team member.

A couple of torches hung on the walls, providing light, but only just enough. Stalactites sprouted from the ceiling. And on that, Mo had to agree with Elaine. They were beautiful, reflecting and refracting the light across the walls, giving the place an ethereal quality. Penn had said it was a fitting setting considering why they were there.

But, ambiance didn't concern Mo. She only cared about having a place that was safe enough to work and close to their eventual destination.

A few feet away Elaine, the striking resident genius whose looks often commanded more attention than her intelligence was discussing their next steps with Penn. Luc was sprawled on the floor near a small pool, morosely staring into the water.  _Most likely mourning all the shawarma he was missing._

Jonah was near the entry to the cavern looking down on the thermal pools that luckily drew no tourists because of the freezing weather this time of year.

And as she suspected, there was no sign of Dani.

Mo sighed and walked over to Jonah. As she neared, he turned and raised an eyebrow.

"No, she is not here."

It unnerved Mo that he was able to travel into their minds. Had access to secrets and desires that should be of their own. Because of her own skill set, Mo was able to keep her and her friends thoughts protected. But, from experience she also knew that Jonah would never invade their privacy without permission or good reason. Even so, sometimes she let her fear override her logic.

"How did you know?"

A corner of Jonah's lips went up. "That you were looking for Dani?" He shook his head. "No, Mo...I am not reading your mind. You know I don't do that."

Mo raised her hands to show her contrition. And it wasn't just an act. In spite of his cavalier attitude, it was well-known that Jonah despised not being trusted and her respect for him motivated her assurance to him now.

"I know. I am sorry." She stood by him, looking out at the landscape. Turning back to him, "how did you know I was looking for her?" she repeated.

"Just like I know that Luc is missing his food, some things are just inherent." Jonah's smile broadened a bit, reflecting the affection in his eyes.

Mo returned his smile.

"Alright. I give you that. So, where is she?" She glanced up to the red-tinged sky. "It is nearly dusk and we don't have much time left."

"Gone to National City to retrieve the 'one-thing owned' that you said you needed to complete the ritual."

"What?" Try as she might to not be alarmed, she couldn't hide her discontent at this news. "I thought Penn and Luc were going with her? National City is the heart of the horror, Jonah. How could you let her do it alone?"

She paused and then continued, a bit more calmly this time. "I mean, normally I wouldn't care if she killed herself if that's what she wants, but we need her safe for what's to come. You know that."

Jonah lifted his eyebrows, but thankfully didn't comment on her slight loss of composure.

"She wanted to do it alone."

Mo opened her mouth to complain, but decided against it. There was no point. Dani would do what Dani wanted and while Jonah might demur at times, he would always have her back. Even against them, who were supposed to be part of her team.

Mo glanced out again. She rarely showed her apprehension.. And tried to be as indifferent as she could about what they were doing. But, god… she wanted to get this right...just as much as everyone else.

Even if the cost meant ...well… losing all of them in the end. No matter the cost. This went beyond Dani and Jonah. Beyond the team. Sacrifices had already been made and more would come. This was important. The fate of the world was resting on her shoulders. She knew that. And she would be damned if she let anyone, even Dani endanger it.


	7. Chapter 7

_16 Hope Street, National City 7:30 PM December 25th_

Alex hunkered behind her bike, negotiating the snowy corner going onto Kara's street with ease. The sun had set about two hours earlier and with the overcast weather leaving the sky pitch black, the temperature had dropped down into the teens.

She pulled the bike into a parking spot, kicked down the stand and let the weight drop onto the small metal piece. A police cruiser slowly drove by on the darkened deserted street. Alex gave an acknowledging nod. Appreciative of the patrol even though it meant that they were away from family on this night. Most would believe Christmas to be a slow crime day, feelings of holiday goodwill and all. But Alex knew better. It was now, when people were well into another round of festivities at relatives, that their vacant homes became ideal targets for would-be thieves lured out of their corners.

Pulling off the helmet, she shook her head, releasing the auburn hair from her scalp. Out of habit her eyes scanned the area, checking the street and shadows for anything out of the norm.

She knew the neighborhood well, it had been her home while she was finishing up grad school. Endless despondent nights staggering down the well-traveled path from the bar down the street to her apartment though had cost her the elusive degree. But, Alex believed that sometimes things happen for a reason. It had forced J'onn to step in to save her from that life, giving her a renewed purpose as a result. And, her advancement at the DEO allowed her to move away from her own unpleasant memories here, replacing them with good ones when she passed the apartment down to Kara.

Finally, she turned to look up at the brick-clad brownstone that loomed before her.

Almost every window that faced the street was illuminated in some kind of festive holiday light display and with the snow blanketing the exterior, the building resembled a goddamn sugar coated fruit cake. Her gaze settled on the lone dark panel of windows situated at the corner end of the fourth floor. To any passerby, the absence of light would indicate that the apartment resident was probably out for the evening, spending time with family or friends. But, Alex knew differently.

She stuffed the helmet into the bike bag, pulled out her glock, tucking it under her jacket into the back of her jean waistband and made her way toward the building.

Inside the front lobby of the building, Alex hesitated. Glancing between the staircase that led up to the next set of floors on her left and the elevator on her right, she deliberated over the two routes. As an agent whose job depended on keeping her body in physical shape to continue maintaining a pulse, there would normally not be a question on which she would take. But, with the aforementioned body still trying to recover from a gunshot wound to the gut, the decision was easy. She made her way to the elevator.

Her lone companion on the elevator was a lean, distinct man with soft chestnut hair that bent slightly at the ends and fell just below his ears. Thoughtful hazel eyes, high cheekbones that were flecked with freckles and a warm smile that crinkled into dimples completed the look. She'd run into him a few times getting on and off the elevator at the third floor and knew by the way his eyes lit up whenever he saw Kara that he had a silent crush on her. Silent because of course, Kara would have been oblivious to the looks of adoration thrown her way and he apparently didn't have the courage to step forward and ask her out. Tonight though, a bottle of  _Sciaranuova_  peeked out from the top of the grocery sack that he carried and Alex wondered if he had decided to move on. It's not like it would matter anymore.

They gave each other a friendly nod and Alex leaned against the back corner of the cab waiting for it to move up the rails to their destinations. Just as the doors opened on the third floor and the man left the cab, Alex's phone vibrated against her hip and she pulled it from her pocket.

 _Alex, please call me_. The text read.

Her mother.

Alex had spent the better part of her shortened recovery time lying in the DEO hospital bed discussing Kara's death with her mother. There hadn't been any point to spare many details as most of the world already knew the same information that she did. Her mother had been insistent upon flying down to National City to be with Alex, but Alex had been just as resolute in her refusal.

There wasn't anything more to say and nothing that her mother could do. Alex didn't need hand holding and she didn't have the emotional strength to be able to provide anything to anyone else. And until they could locate Kara's body, planning for any memorial or ceremonial ritual would have to wait.

Memorial.

The thought made her stomach churn and her heart speed up. She felt light-headed and squeezed her eyes shut to force herself to concentrate on her breathing. She wouldn't fall apart. Not now. Not yet.

The floor indicator dinged and she opened her eyes, slid the phone back into her pocket and stepped out into the 4th floor hallway. Tuning out the Nat King Cole Christmas classic that blared from the neighbor's apartment and ignoring the distinct smell of pecan pie that seeped from under their door, Alex concentrated on the lone white door waiting for her at the end of the hallway. At the threshold, key tightly grasped in her fist, she suddenly pulled up. She stared at the heavy door, a physical barrier between the illusion of denial that still lingered in her mind and the reality of loss on the other side.

Who was she kidding? She had lied.

She did need the hand holding. She couldn't do this. Couldn't walk through that door and face life or, in this case death. See a room full of memories. A room filled with Kara. It was too much. Her shoulders sagged and she dropped her head, studying the key that she twisted in her hand. Maybe after a trip back down that familiar path out on the street she'd gain enough fortitude to meet those memories.

She stuffed the key into her pocket and had turned to retreat back down the hallway when a muffled bang came from within the apartment.

Had her mom ignored her request to be alone and flown down?

The memory of the darkened apartment as she looked up from the street crossed her mind. No, not her mom. Her mother would have flooded the apartment with light. Whoever was in there didn't want to be noticed.

She tried the door handle and it turned easily. Pulling her gun out of her waistband with one hand, she slowly pushed open the door with the other. The room was still dark, but as her eyes adjusted, Alex could make out totes that were turned over and drawers that hung on end. The apartment had been ransacked.

 _Damn holiday thieves_.

The thought of someone trying to steal from Kara astounded her, but at the same time it pushed aside any previous apprehension, replacing it instead with pent-up anger.

Several beads of sweat popped out on the back of her neck, racing down her spine, keeping pace with the blood that was pounding against her eardrums. Slowly, she crept further into the apartment. She hated having a doorway at her back, it always made her feel exposed. But without back-up to close in behind her, there wasn't any other choice. Staying near the middle of the room, gun raised to shoulder level and sweeping the area, she quietly advanced toward the back of the apartment.

Just as she reached the divider to Kara's bedroom, a shiver climbed up Alex's spine. A movement off to the right moved into her peripheral vision. She swung her gun to it, but her reaction was too late. A dark figure was already lunging at her, ramming her broadside, knocking her off balance and throwing her across the room.

She careened off the top of the dresser and slithered to the floor by the foot of the bed.

The pain ripped through her wound, blinding her vision faster than she had time to process what had even happened.

"Argh!" She grabbed at her stomach, pulled her knees up and twisted onto her side, panting in an effort to control the pain.

A crash from the other room signaled that the intruder was stumbling through the apartment. Getting away. An intense need to stop him, to get back what he took from Kara overcame her. Her actions became automatic. Lifting her head off the floor, she spotted her gun under the edge of the bed. She reached for it and rolled onto her knees. By the time she was on her feet, the apartment door had slammed against the wall and she pushed herself forward, into a resoluted pursuit after him.

At the front doorway, she caught a glimpse of the figure barreling down the stairs at the end of the hallway.

"Guess I'm taking the stairs," she mumbled as she ran to try and catch up.

Alex's attempt to take on the flight of stairs resembled a bad Tim Conway parody. With one hand grasped around her gun, pushing it into her stomach and the other bouncing off the banister for support, she careened down the stairs, alternating between wobbling for balance and sliding off of the edge of every other step. Once at the bottom, she took just a second to catch her breath before following the figure out of the building.

By the time she slid out onto the snowy sidewalk, the hooded figure had made it to an alley about half a block away and was turning to go down it. Alex was seconds from hitting the same corner when a flash of light illuminated the alleyway. As she turned into the street, some type of rip in the fabric of space was just sealing shut.

 _So much for holiday thieves_ , she thought.

Tapping on her ear COM, "Brainy," she huffed out. Wrapping one hand around her midsection, she bent over and leaned on her thigh with the other while she awaited a response.

"Yes, Director Danvers."

"I need you at Kara's apartment asap," Alex felt a wetness on her hand and she stood up. Pulling her hand away from her stomach, she saw that her fingers were smeared with blood. A quick glance down at the red tinged shirt confirmed her suspicion, her wound had reopened and was seeping through her bandages.  _Shit_.

"We have a situation."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My plan is to submit another chapter next week, but currently there's a family health situation that I need to tend to. So, it may be that the chapter is delayed a week or two, depending on how things go. I do have the next one completed, but I feel less pressure when I am able to stay further ahead of the game. Thanks and I hope everyone likes the story thus far.


	8. Chapter 8

_L-Corp Headquarters, National City 10:05 PM_

J'onn's powder blue 1952 Chevy Deluxe was already parked in front of L-Corp when Alex arrived. The chill of the winter night had sufficiently set into her bones and she pulled at her jacket as she dismounted her bike and strode toward the car. Sliding her hand along the curve of the classic vehicle as she rounded it, the memories embedded into its framework seeped out. Winding cliffside roads, ocean waves beating along the shoreline and her sister belting out the chorus to the "Sweet Escape" ran across her mind.

 _God, that girl could sing_.

J'onn stepped out of the driver's side door as Alex reached the sidewalk.

"You sure you're okay?" he asked.

"Except for my pride, yeah." she replied. "I can't believe I let him get the jump on me and get away."

"In your condition, you're lucky pride was the only thing injured." He tossed her an exasperated look and reached back into the car, pulling out his jacket. "You should have called me."

Alex rolled her eyes.

Truth be told, the emotional scarring along with her physical injuries had started to take a toll on her body. After the foot pursuit earlier, she'd gone back to the DEO to have her stitches mended and the dressing changed. She then grabbed a handful of ibuprofen as she headed out the MedBay door. Vicodin would have been her preferred choice and was what the on-call doctor had shoved at her as he chastised her for not staying in bed. But, she couldn't afford the luxury of it. She needed a clear head. Now, in spite of taking the mild pain reliever, a headache was beginning to form behind her eyes and she was having a hard time fighting the exhaustion.

"I'm fine, J'onn," she insisted.

"Uh huh," he replied, not hiding his disbelief, but knowing that any further discussion of it was futile. He zipped up the coat, shut the car door and headed to her. "What's Brainy's thoughts on the portal?"

"He's working on it as we speak. First impression is that it's similar to the readings he saw from the other day."

"Any idea on who the intruder was or what he took?"

Alex shook her head. "No, I never got a close enough look. But, judging by the stature, it had to be either a woman or a teen. And, the apartment was trashed. I didn't have time to go through everything to see what's missing." She glanced over her shoulder at the tall concrete building. "Wanted to get here to try and catch Lena."

J'onn followed her gaze to the building. "You sure she's here?" he asked.

"My sources say she is."

"Sources?" he queried, raising an eyebrow.

"Yep," without further elaboration she turned to head into the building.

At ten P.M., the first floor of L-Corp was quiet. A lone security guard stood at the front desk. Alex knew the man from when she'd been given unlimited access to the lab to help Sam. She was counting on his memory of that to get her easy access now.

"Hey, Frank. How's the night shift treating you?" she asked, flashing a warm smile at him.

He leaned forward, scrutinizing her before recognition finally ran across his face. "Well, you know that everything at L-Corp comes to life at night."

"We may be small, but our hearts are large," Alex echoed the line from the Ben Stiller movie that she and Frank had both shared a previous appreciation for.

Frank broke out in a smile at the interchange. "Nice to see you again Agent Danvers."

"You, too Frank. How are Sherry and the kids?"

"Really well. In fact, Junior just made the all-star team." His grin widened. "The wife and I have been debating on whether he's going to be the next Stephen Curry or Lebron James."

"All-stars? Wow, that's great!" Alex replied. "But, my opinion. Why limit him? Shoot a little higher. Maybe the next Michael Jordan?" she winked.

Frank threw his head back and laughed. "I'll tell Sherry you said that. She's originally from Chicago so, she'd probably agree."

"Well, hey Frank, we need to go down and meet with Ms. Luthor. We're in the middle of an extensive meta-human initiative and she's collaborating with us on it."

The security guard hesitated a second, deliberating whether or not to let someone in without prior authorization. He glanced briefly over at J'onn before meeting Alex's open smile. Finally, he nodded his approval. "Sure Agent Danvers," he stepped back behind the desk. "Go on through."

"Thanks Frank. Tell Sherry I said hi," Alex threw back at him as she and J'onn made their way to the elevator.

"I have to say that I'm impressed with your improved people skills, " J'onn admired as they waited at the elevator doors. "As the one previously tasked with your performance evaluations, I often thought you forgot that you possessed them."

 _"Humph,"_ Alex grunted. "Hopefully the next challenge will be just as easy and Lena hasn't changed the codes."

In the lower level of the building, Alex and J'onn stepped off the elevator and headed toward the lab. Outside the main corridor of the lab, Alex entered a five digit code. After a brief pause, the door buzzed and the sealed door unlocked. Alex let out a sigh and she and J'onn walked through.

Her relief was short-lived though. Eve Teschmacher stood on the other side.

"Agent Danvers," Eve acknowledged. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to see Lena," Alex stated, brushing by Eve. She wasn't about to let Lena's pesky assistant get in her way of reaching her goal.

Eve stepped to Alex, grabbing hold of her arm as she strode past. "No! You can't."

Alex pulled-up, looked down at the restraining hand before leveling her eyes at Eve.

"Eve, I suggest you take your hand off my arm if you want to continue being able to admire that premium manicure painted across those fingers," Alex threatened.

"I -", Eve met Alex's hardened stare and quickly dropped her hand. "I can't let you go in there." She wrung her hands together. "Ms. Luthor is in the middle of a test."

"Oh, you mean Lex?" Alex stated. "Yeah, we know and we're here to help." Alex continued on past Eve. J'onn followed closely behind while Eve trailed them.

"What I said earlier about your improved people skills," J'onn mumbled to Alex as he caught up, "scratch that."

"Noted," Alex replied.

Alex pushed open the last door to the lab. Across the large, open room, she spotted Lena and James in a curtained cubicle, standing next to a figure lying on a gurney.

Against the sheer plastic curtains, the two made a striking pair. Lena, oozing wealth and power, clad in a dark navy designer suit, sleek hair cinched back into a thick, onyx braid, stood examining a tablet. James, dressed in a contrasting pale plum dress shirt that stretched across his large, muscular frame towered next to her. The sound of the door opening caught their attention and both turned around.

Lena lowered the tablet to her side and slid closer to James, closing off the view behind them, "Alex Danvers", she coolly acknowledged.

"I'm so sorry, Ms, Luthor," Eve rushed around J'onn and Alex to Lena. "I tried stopping them, but -"

"But, I intimidated her," Alex finished as she approached. "J'onn tells me I need to work on my people skills, but I think they work just fine." She smiled slyly.

"It's okay, Eve," Lena assured her assistant. "Can you give us a few minutes, please?"

James had been standing silently, watching the exchange, but as Eve left he made a movement toward Alex and J'onn. "Alex, I'm - ."

Alex narrowed her eyes and took a step back. Her silent reproach froze his advancement. His face blanched, then reddened. Confidence dissipating, he shifted his weight to one leg and briefly cast his eyes to the floor. Finally, he looked up and met her hard gaze. " - I'm sorry...about Kara."

She held a moment, a rigid cutout against the curtain backdrop. This was her first encounter with James since he and Lena distanced themselves from Kara a few months prior. Seeing him now, attempting to show empathy infuriated her. The throbbing in her temple increased.

Taking a deep breath, she turned inward, reminding herself of the necessity to stay detached...rational, to obtain the desired results.

As if a valve had been released, she relaxed her shoulders and turned to Lena.

"I need to speak with Lex," Alex stated. Choosing her words carefully, threading a guarded path through the emotional quicksand in her mind.

Lena let out a dry chuckle. "You can't be serious if you think that I would allow that."

"I've never been more serious."

"I'm trying to save his life, not crucify him via an Alex Danvers interrogation."

Her choice of words instantly triggered Alex's already fragile state.

"And I'm trying to find out what happened to my sister." Her earlier resolution vanished, and she struck back. "You remember her? The one you once claimed to be a friend!"

"A friendship built on  _lies_." Lena hissed, inching forward.

"A friend who selflessly saved you numerous times, yet you callously threw under the bus to save your own skin." Alex retorted, referring to an incident that occurred three months earlier.

Lillian and Lex Luthor had been pardoned and released from prison. Once free, they approached Lena, demanding to join forces with her on the meta-human research. Initially, Lena refused, but Lillian relayed her knowledge of Kara's alter ego, Supergirl. Effectively stirring the seeds of fear and doubt about the alien population that already brewed within Lena.

Later, when Kara tried to explain, Lena shut her down. Informing Kara that the only people she could trust were Lillian and Lex. At least those two were honestly evil and she knew what to expect with them, she informed Kara.

Then, when the government declared Kara a wanted fugitive and authorities questioned CatCo and L-Corp's association with Supergirl, Lena submitted a statement denouncing Supergirl as a hero. Declaring that National City could no longer trust her to protect them. Eager to reaffirm his commitment to her, James ran Lena's piece, fueling an already heightened level of fear and animosity within the city.

"Loyalty means nothing to you," Alex continued. "The only thing that warms that piece of coal in your chest is the amount of money stocked up in the bank and the next target to dominate."

"You think I'm cold? You are  _consumed_  with self-hatred," Lena countered. "You reek of it. And putting everyone's action into categories somehow makes life more tolerable for you." She leaned into Alex, face inches away. "Tell me Alex Danvers, what category would you put a person who turned a back on her sister once she forgot who she really was?" she hissed.

Alex said nothing. Her breathing was labored. She could feel the rapid rise and fall of her chest and her hand trembled. Her world felt like it was spinning out of control and she didn't know how to stop it.

"Ladies," J'onn's calm voice echoed from behind her. "Everyone's under a tremendous amount of stress. Why don't we take a step back." He placed a hand on Alex's shoulder. "Talk about how we can help each other."

Alex could feel J'onn's eyes on her. Silently willing her to regain control of her emotions. And Alex was attempting to do just that.

But Lena wasn't completely wrong. Alex was angry. So angry. So  _God damn_  angry! Not only at those who tortured and murdered her sister. Not only at the unknown, the uncertainty of where Kara was and what was being done to her. But, also at herself.

For the part that she had played in Kara's isolation and persecution this last year. And for getting captured, requiring Kara to come in and save her. But, the worst of all of it was her anger at Kara. For being willing to endanger herself to protect others. For choosing Alex's life over her own. For leaving her.

And because Kara wasn't there for Alex to berate, to scream at for not choosing life over sacrifice, Alex had to put the blame somewhere else. To shift all that pain onto someone else.

She sighed and told Lena, "J'onn's right. We need to work together."

"Why would I _ever_ need to work with you?" she asked incredulously.

Alex tilted her head and rubbed her forehead. "Because I'm positive that Manchester Black is lying and there was more that went on the other night than we were led to believe. Because I'm sure you want to find out what really happened to Lillian and your brother and...because I need to find out where they put my sister's body."

Lena's eyebrows went up.

James' confused face slid into view behind Lena's shoulder. "What do you mean, 'your sister's body?'

"We haven't been able to locate Kara since the video was put out showing her murder," J'onn filled in. Alex glanced at him, thankful for saving her from the task of explaining what happened.

"It just keeps getting worse," James whispered.

Alex nodded, "Yes, it does." She looked back to Lena. "I know you and Kara had a falling out, but I also know that you cared about her. And are hurting just as we are. Furthermore, I believe that you would agree that everyone, even an alien, should be allowed to find peace in death."

Lena finally leaned back onto her heels and studied Alex, digesting the information that Alex had given her. She glanced over her shoulder at Lex lying unconscious on the gurney behind her. When she turned back to Alex, her eyes had softened. "What do you need?" she asked.

A few hours later, J'onn and Alex walked out of L-Corp with information that changed the course of their investigation. As they reached the curb, Brainy came across Alex's COMMs.

"Director Danvers," he stated.

"Yes, Brainy."

"I have determined the source of the disruption from the other night and the portal you saw earlier tonight. There is definitely a connection between the two and I not only know what it is, I know how it was used."

"Brainy, that's the best news I've heard all day."

"Yes, I was certain it would be. I will meet you out at the location where Supergirl was taken. It's time to find our hero."

Alex relayed the information to J'onn and they moved to their respective vehicles.

As the two drove off, a dark figure stepped out from the shadows of a nearby building. He pulled out a cellphone from the pocket of his black leather jacket.

"Yeah, they just left L-Corp. Sounds like they're heading out to where everything first went down. I'll meet you back at the warehouse." Placing his phone back into his pocket, he pounded his fists together, igniting a wave of white electricity that surrounded each fist. He thrust his chin upwards, threw his fists down next to his body, shooting a force of electricity into the ground and propelled himself into the evening sky.


	9. Chapter 9

_The outskirts of National City_

"Humans are able to detect over one trillion distinct scents."

That's what Kara had told Alex one day during a particular stormy period of their youth in Midvale. Alex, wrapped in a towel from finishing her evening shower had just sat down on her bed and was lathering herself up with lotion, silently contemplating the pros and cons to attending the next night's school dance.

Frowning, she looked up at Kara sitting across the room on her matching single bed. "What?" She hesitantly asked.

During that specific time, Kara's comments and questions bounced between those of genuine curiosity to passive-aggressive observations regarding something Alex had done. So, Alex was never quite sure of the motive behind one.

" _One. trillion. different. scents_ ," Kara repeated, slowly emphasizing each word. "For humans, that is," she added. "So, try to imagine how many more scents that a Kryptonian would be able to detect and what kind of adverse effect it would have on one." Kara turned her head to the side and Alex followed Kara's gaze as it traveled around their shared bedroom. Landing first on the small pile of dirty clothes that Alex had shoved up next to the wall on the floor. Next, to the lighted barberry candle on Alex's dresser, over to the half-eaten, fully loaded Double-Double burger wrapped up on her night stand, until finally resting on the Warm Spicy Vanilla scented bottle of lotion that Alex currently held in her hand.

Alex scowled for a beat, quickly processing the not so subtle message that Kara was sending.

So, this was one of  _those_ …

...finally, "you've got be kidding, right?!" she exclaimed, throwing the lotion on the bed. "Because I've already given up almost  _every. single. thing_  in my life just so you could be more comfortable," she declared, voice rising, fists pounding into the mattress. "And so, I would hope that you don't seriously expect me to also live in, what?...some kind of virtual scent-free world?!" she huffed. "God! You're impossible!" And, with that the two spiraled into yet another argument, which seemed like the direction that most of their early conversations took.

Her resentment of Kara was at its peak during those years. She had her reasons - some were legitimate gripes. And some were sprung out of Alex's own teenage petty selfishness. But, it wasn't always like that. There were also times when Kara's disclosures were so disheartening to Alex, the pain searing so deep, that she instinctively reached out, tightly wrapping Kara in a hug. Desperately trying to smother out their pain.

Like another evening, when Kara was further elaborating on the sensations. Privately, Alex always thought Kara's interest in the senses was due to her inability to gain control of them. But, in any case, this time Kara quietly informed Alex that the sense of smell was most closely related to memory. How just a small scent of something so otherwise obscure could trigger an impression. And it was for this reason that Kara loved walking in the park during early spring. The smell of orange blossoms were strongest then and it reminded her of Alura leaning over to tuck her in at night. But it was also why she dreaded cold winter nights. The smell of ash burning in their fireplace brought memories of her and her parents racing through a fire ravaged Krypton, the rushed goodbye to them later on the landing and then shooting into the sky as Krypton exploded beneath her.

And now, as Alex stood outside the edge of the warehouse ruins that had been her place of captivity for almost a week she was experiencing a multitude of sensations. The clouds had cleared and the full moon sat high in the sky, illuminating the landscape below. She peeked around the overgrown weeds and boards that covered the opening of the structure. The darkness from within hiding the horrors that it held. But, Alex knew. A few of those trillion scents Kara had told her about were whispering to her. Evoking her own painful recollections. Smells of earth and urine combined with the metallic tinge of coagulating blood stirred memories of long, hard fought battles. Images of unimaginable fear and agonizing death. And before going any further, Alex was certain of what she would find on the other side.

She switched on the Maglite, stepped through the falling debris and brush, into the heart of the building.

It was quiet. The only sounds filtering through the openings in the frame. Critters stirring in nearby trees and muffled traffic on the freeway from a mile away.

She swung the flashlight across the space. The area was vacant, cleared of bodies days before. But, the aftermath that was soaked into the snow left no doubt in Alex's mind that the battle she had taken part in had been tame compared to what had occurred after she slipped out of consciousness.

Further back along the right side of the building was a cluster of debris piles and concrete walls in various stages of destruction. A spot just beyond the last low wall was what held Alex's focus. That was the location where she had fallen. Where Kara had tended to her wound. Had it only been three nights before when her sister had hovered over her, making promises and assurances that seemed to have blown away with the wind?

Jolting around, she studied her position more closely as a realization struck her. She was standing in almost the exact same spot that Lex would have been when he shot her.

Kara had come in this direction.

Without real conscious thought, her feet began carrying her forward, further into the compound.

Scanning the ground as she traveled, she came upon a large debris pile. As she rounded the bend of it, the beam of light exposed a couple of large areas saturated with blood. One seemed mottled, darker than the other and Alex bent down to examine it more closely. She scooped a small bit of the stained snow onto her fingers and drew in a breath. The hint of green intermixed with red was all too familiar. She rubbed it between her thumb and fingers before letting the particles drop. Standing, she shone the light out further ahead.

Two sets of footsteps, one moving forward and the other moving backward, equally spaced in tandem led away from the area. Droplets of blood littered the trail alongside them. This was the path that her sister had been taken. She was sure of it.

_Had Kara been conscious? Did she know what lay ahead?_

Alex followed the trail, retracing her sister's final route. She passed the small knee wall where the two had been chained, by the metal chairs from Lockwood's absurd trial until finally, reaching a steel column at the back of the structure. The snow on the ground around it was completely trampled down.

She panned the light on the column. A cold finger ran up her spine.

Unlike the bluish-green discolored columns that held the rest of the skeleton of the structure, this one had a muddy red tint. Reaching out, she ran two fingers across it, pulling off some of the red material from the surface, bringing it into the light. The same mixture of green and red that she found on the ground earlier was also present in this dried material. Blood. Kara's blood.

She stared at it, disconcerted. Aiming up the tip of the Maglite, she scanned the crossbeam that was attached to it. The muddy color was smeared across the heart of it. 

This was it. The spot where Kara had been taken, where it had happened.

How long did it take? Had it happened quickly? Or had she suffered? Manchester said she was put on display like a piece of art. Was she still alive as they watched? Did she try to fight free or did she go willingly, finding peace in Rao's light?

Alex's eyes began to well and she swallowed, shaking her head to erase the thought. Manchester had lied. She knew that now.

 _And the bastard will pay right along with the others_.

An area a few feet away caught Alex's eye. The snow here was packed down into a fairly uniform long, narrow rectangular shape. Moving toward it, she could see the indentation from some type of object that had lain there.  _A body_? She noticed numerous sets of footprints veering off from the area, toward the nearby forest and she began following them.

"He's here."

J'onn's booming voice echoed across the open area, startling her. She had been so lost in her own world that she had forgotten that he was even there. He was standing at the front of the structure. Giving her space and time. Abandoning her investigation, she headed toward him.

By the time Alex got back to the front of the building, Brainy was getting out of his vehicle. He ran around to the hatch of the utility vehicle and began pulling out a couple of bags.

"I am here," he frantically stated, as he dropped the bags on the ground. "It was not my intention to be delayed, but Colonel Haley came into the DEO unexpectedly." He crawled back into the vehicle. "I had to use evasive tactics to avoid her detection," his muffled voice came from within.

Alex looked over to J'onn who just shook his head.

"What are you doing?" J'onn asked.

"More importantly, what did you find out?" Alex followed up, raising her voice at the end.

Brainy stopped rummaging through the items in the vehicle and crawled back out. "They're portals," he breathlessly stated.

Alex and J'onn again exchanged glances.

"We pretty much already had that figured that out," Alex replied.

"Yes, but they're not just any portals," Brainy continued, "they're the  _same_  portal." He stepped away from the vehicle. "There are different types of portals, each created for a specific use. Some are used to move between worlds or universes, like the one Barry uses. And some of the more advanced devices, like the one I created in the future, are to move you through time."

"So, which is this?" Alex asked.

"It's neither."

Alex rolled her eyes, the frustration clearly written across her face. " _Brainy_."

Noting her exasperation, "this is a short range portal", he quickly added. "It's purpose it to move objects a shorter distance, which in itself is interesting, but the most fascinating thing about it is the signature that it left. Because just like the different types of portals, there are also various ways to create a portal. It's similar to an artist, who is recognized for the style and the medium used. The readings of a portal can give telltale signs of its designer."

"Is there a purpose to all of this?" J'onn stepped in to ask.

"Yes. This portal was created by someone from the future. More specifically, by me." He looked between Alex and J'onn, letting the information soak in.

"I knew the readings looked familiar and when I put the two portal markings together for a comparison, I was certain of it. It uses advanced technology to manipulate magnetic fields, electron diffusion and gravity in order to create an opening. The technology used to do so is more evolved than anything that would have been developed during this time period."

"You're certain?" J'onn asked.

"Yes, there is a 98.7% probability that it is my work."

"So, then you're able to tell us how this particular portal works," Alex acknowledged.

"I can do much more than that," he replied. "I can take you to where they went." He smiled. "That's why we're here." He turned and reached back into the vehicle, this time pulling out two small devices. He held up one. "I created this replica to open up a portal. The signature came from that direction," he nodded to the tree line. "We just need to get in the vicinity of where the it originated and I can scan and duplicate the readings with this," he held up the remaining device.

"I think that I know where that location is," Alex said. "There's a trail of footprints that leads from the site into the forest," she nodded back over her shoulder.

"Wait a minute," J'onn interjected. Looking at Brainy, "you're asking us to jump through some portal that leads to who knows where on a hunch that it might be connected to Kara's disappearance?"

"Well, I -", Brainy started.

"I'm fairly certain that whoever created that portal took Kara," Alex interrupted, remembering the scene from around the beam inside the structure. "And I have absolutely no problem jumping into something that might lead us to where she is."

"Good," Brainy said. "It's settled. Let's go."

He started to march forward when J'onn reached down to grab the bags on the ground.

"Oh, no. You can leave those. They're not necessary. That one contains my fitness clothes," he pointed to one of the bags. "I'm trying to...beef-up," he added. "And the other has a change of clothes for the date that I was supposed to have with Nia Nal tonight," he frowned, "which, unfortunately, had to be postponed."

J'onn sighed, grabbed the bags, tossed them into the vehicle and shut the door. The three then made their way to the spot in the tree line where Alex indicated.

They found the path and followed it for about a quarter of a mile into the trees when J'onn suddenly stopped and turned, looking back in the direction they came. Alex and Brainy quickly pulled up behind him.

"What is it?" Alex asked.

"There's someone behind us," J'onn said, his voice low, head swiveling back and forth, scanning the area.

Alex followed his gaze, looking behind them. She couldn't see anyone, but she knew better than to question J'onn's intuition. "Who is it?"

J'onn squinted, concentrating on the voices. Multiple thoughts tumbled into his head, so he was unable to distinguish the owners. Shaking his head, "I don't know, but there's more than one. Let's get off this path, move behind there," J'onn nodded to a tightly clustered tree grouping.

They each slid behind a tree. Alex pulled out her glock, held it down to her side, waiting for those following to show themselves.

"Damn it", she muttered under her breath. She was eager to find the portal, they were so close to possibly finding Kara. But, they couldn't take a chance on someone else stumbling onto her, too.

A few minutes later, a group of individuals came into view. One on point, eyes cast down on the same path that Alex, J'onn and Brainy had been retracing and two others trailing behind.

All the heat from Alex's body seemed to drain out.

" _Manchester_ ," she growled, inching forward, gun moving low into both hands in front of her.

J'onn glanced over to her. Noticed her change in position. "Alex, just wait," J'onn whispered. "We need to find out what they're doing here."

Alex met his eyes and took in a deep breath. The rational, agent side of her knew he was right. But, the remnants of a bloodbath were still clicking in her brain. This man and his group had been apart of that carnage. Players in Kara's death. Might have even instigated it. She had to know more.

She shifted her gaze from J'onn to the four individuals moving closer. The atmosphere was beyond jittery. Alex could feel it. Her heart thumped wildly against her chest and her breath became quick and shallow. She pressed her lips together to create some moisture in her suddenly dry mouth.

They were close enough now that Alex could hear Manchester, his smug, carefree voice echoing off the trees.

She felt her jaw tighten, the cold sweat run down her back.

 _Screw it_!

Glancing once more at J'onn, she stepped out from behind the tree.

" _Alex, no_!" J'onn's gravelly voice just above a whisper called out to her. Trying desperately to bring her back into the cover.

But, it was too late. The anger and blind hate propelled her further into the clearing, until finally she stood staring down Manchester just a few feet away.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did a bit of research on travel portals and all things related to them, but my knowledge on them is still limited. So, I apologize if I took a few liberties with the way they were used in the story.


	10. Chapter 10

"Bloody hell, Director! You gave me a fright stepping out from nowhere."

Manchester stood in the middle of the path, flanked by two individuals, one of which Alex had encountered before, Menagerie. But, the large man with cinnamon brown skin and a prominent brow ridge sporting long, raven dreadlocks standing on Manchester's other side was new. Wrapped around each wrist was a bulky silver bracelet and a black leather jacket that ripped at the seams from his bulging biceps covered a barreled chest. He made the pumpers at her gym look like the Waterboy in comparison.  _A meta human?_  With this crowd, the possibility was high, Alex thought.

She felt J'onn and Brainy step from the shadows onto the trail a couple of feet on each side at her back.

"And hey, it's my mate J'onn Jones and the dodgy little sidekick from the DEO," Manchester stated. "If I knew we were going to run into you, I'd a brought marshmallows and chocolate to make us some toasty s'mores."

Menagerie smirked. The new guy's hardened expression remained fixed on a quiet J'onn.

The lack of response from J'onn didn't surprise Alex. She didn't need to be a mind-reader to know that he was angry. She could almost feel the heat spewing off of him and while some of it was a result of Manchester's taunting, she also knew that some of that anger was directed at her. She hated it when she disappointed him and was just as angry with herself for letting her emotions get the better of her. Regretting her actions almost as soon as she stepped out from cover. But, there was no going back now.

"Cut the crap, Manchester," she said. "We know you're not out here taking a midnight stroll." She lowered gun to her side, two-fists still tightly wrapped around the butt of it. "What are you doing?"

"I could ask you the same, Director," he flashed a wry smile and Alex wanted nothing more than to knock the smugness off his face. "It's a free country the last I checked," he added.

There was a rhythm to their exchange. Each challenge met with a rebuttal, tightening up their fists in defense. They were dancing around the outside edges of a flaming conflict and Alex didn't have time to waltz around it.

Going straight at him, "we talked to Lex," she said, blurring the particulars of the incident.

The corners of Manchester's smile lost a bit of its strength, "did ya now?"

"The details of his story don't seem to match up with the one you told."

"Well, it's Lex Luthor. The slimy bastard isn't capable of telling the truth," he countered.

"He didn't have much of a choice," Alex stated.

Manchester searched her face, registering the information. He said nothing for a few beats. Then, looking over to J'onn, "Did a little midnight requisitioning into the dark corners of Lex's mind, huh Johnny Boy?"

Smile completely fading, all pretense now dropped, he cast his eyes back on Alex. "You can't begin to understand what it's like to live in this world. To be cast out, hunted down like an animal just because you're different from them." There was a defensiveness to his tone.

His eyes narrowed. And a coldness so honest slid across his face that Alex almost shivered as she watched. "Sometimes, the lives of a few have to be sacrificed for the greater good." He flatly stated. "I would have thought you learned that lesson years ago."

The implication of his words made her stomach turn and her eyes bore into his. Finding no remorse within him, she ground her jaws together and slid her finger to the trigger of the gun. This was the only confirmation she needed.

"You should have left me lying on that cold, hard ground," she sneered.

Quickly, she snapped up her gun, but Manchester was already ahead of her. He jerked his head to the side and the gun whipped out of her hands, into the snow along the path. Alex didn't even have a chance to process Manchesters newfound powers before J'onn flew by her, ramming himself into the group, scattering them all to the ground.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Alex dove into the snow to retrieve her gun. As she rolled to her knees, gun in hand, she caught sight of J'onn picking up Manchester, flying him away from the fight. At the same time, the big guy with dreads was getting to his feet. Alex watched as the man's hands lit up like a neon snow globe. He raised one of the glowing fists out to her and a blast of light shot out of it. Momentarily transfixed by the display, she froze as the light sped at her.

Too late, she snapped out of the daze, turned her head to the side, and threw her arms across her head to tuck into a defensive position. She waited for certain death, but none came. Instead she watched from under her arm as the bolt of light veered by her position. When she pulled her arms down to take a look, she saw Brainy standing immediately in front of her, hands on his hips, the light bouncing off his frame.

"I have activated a small force field," he threw out over his shoulder to her. "It will buy some time for you to take cover in the trees."

This time Alex didn't hesitate. She ran for the thicker covering of the trees directly behind her. Looking over her shoulder as she ran, she saw Menagerie release a handful of small serpents that headed straight for her. Stopping every couple of feet to fire, Alex was able to take out most of the snakes. But, as she turned her back near the line of trees, a single serpent broke through and jumped onto her shoulder, forcing her to the ground. She rolled around on the ground, flinging her arm against the surface, trying to pry it off. The snake latched on tighter, sinking its fangs into Alex's left shoulder.

She shrieked out in pain. And tried to break free from it. But, there didn't seem to be any way to get it to relinquish its hold, and the more Alex squirmed the harder it bit. The pain hammered her and the venom pushed further into her system. She felt the air tilt and her vision began to blur. Suddenly, the beast let loose of its grip and when Alex rolled over, she saw J'onn standing over her, the snake crushed and hanging from his fist.

He tossed it off to the side, picked up Alex and flew further down the trail, out of the attacker's sight and reach. The two landed and J'onn helped Alex to a bare stump near the side of the path.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Sitting on the stump, hand pressed up to her injured shoulder and head hung down, she nodded. "J'onn, I'm sor-".

"No. Don't," he jumped in, knowing what she was going to say. "We don't have time for second guessing. We need to get Brainy and get out of this forest."

"I'm here," Brainy's voice came from above as he descended next to Alex and J'onn. "They're still back at the last location. Probably trying to determine an attack plan. We can - ."

"Wait...look," Alex said, pointing at a location a bit further down the trail. "The footprints that we were tracking..." She glanced up at the two and her head swam.

J'onn looked to where she pointed. "They've stopped there," he noted.

"That must be where they opened the portal," Brainy added, walking down to the spot. J'onn followed.

As they moved by her, Alex took the opportunity to stand. Her vision blurred again and she momentarily lost her balance before catching herself. She could tell that the venom in her system was beginning to spread. The nerves in her arm were tingling and her breathing was a bit more difficult. Her medical background told her that with a normal bite she should have few hours before her body started to shut down. And if this was the entrance to where Kara's body was taken, then she wasn't going to slow down an opportunity to find her. She took a second and very hesitantly moved toward the pair.

"We need to get that portal open," she stated as she walked up to them.

"Alex, we don't have time," J'onn said. "Those two are not that far behind us and you need to have that bite treated."

Ignoring his concern for her, "Brainy, how long would it take to get one open?" Alex asked.

"Once I find the exact location, it will only take me approximately 3 minutes to create one."

Alex turned to J'onn. "J'onn, please," she stepped up to him, "we're  _so_  close to finding her and bringing her home."

J'onn was quiet for a second, weighing the options. "Brainy, are you able to open up a portal to the DEO with that thing?"

"Yes."

"No!" Alex spun back to Brainy, "Agent Dox, I'm your -".

"We'll open up a portal to where Brainy thinks they went," J'onn interrupted, "and see what's there,  _but_  once we get a fix on the location, we're opening up another portal that leads straight into the DEO infirmary." He informed Alex.

It wasn't what Alex wanted, but she knew not to push any further. She nodded reluctantly.

"Okay, Brainy, go ahead," J'onn said.

"It'll take just a few - ."

A flash a light flew into the trees right above Brainy's head. The trio turned to see their pursuers about 300 yards up the path. Rejoining them were Manchester and the Hat.

"Brainy, get that portal open!" J'onn told him, "Alex and I will divert their attention and try to hold them off."

Alex found cover behind a nearby tree, firing up the path as she went. J'onn cloaked and advanced on the group, who had split-up and were taking their own refuge.

Holding her fire until she could get a bead on them, Alex scanned the area. While the main path had been lit by the moon, dark shadows hid the rest of forest. Mengarie and Manchester had jumped to one side of the forest. And she also knew the lighted guy was on her left, as an occasional burst of electricity shot from that direction, landing near her position. Trying to force her out into the open.

She swung her gun from side to side, peripherally checking for movement and waiting for J'onn to emerge. A flash of Mengarie's green clothing among the white covering of the snow caught her attention and she fired a couple rounds in that direction. Immediately, she was rewarded with a pulse of electricity shot in her direction, landing in the canopy of the adjacent tree. She ducked her head, the sudden movement again blurring her vision. Another pulse, this time right above her, sent a branch crashing down. In an instant, she made a flying dive out of the way.

She hit the ground, the few inches of snow failing to soften the landing, and part of the branch followed down on top of her. Stars flew across her vision. A shooting pain from her stomach wound and the shoulder shot up her nervous system. Her vision was broken, screaming white-black, pulsing like strobes on a dance floor. And Alex knew it was only a matter of time before she lost consciousness.

The combination of adrenaline and enhancement of a genetically modified serpent had sped up the advancement of the venom that was making its way through her system.

As she laid face-down in the snow, her ears rang and the sounds around her became muffled. A yell came from the trees up the path and the electric pulses that were continuing to fire above her head stopped. Brainy's voice called out in the distance.

She forced her torso off the ground, pushing the branch off her back. The white and black alternated with shadows. The darkness tried to fight her and she shook her head. She saw the outline of a figure standing in front of a lighted opening beckoning her.  _I can't quit now. I'm too close._  Numb, heavy, but determined, she got her feet under her to balance herself. Standing with her torso bent forward to the ground, she clumsily advanced through the snow. But, her legs were too weak and after just a few steps, she fell back to her knees and then onto her stomach. Chest heaving from her lungs constricting, searching for air, her body began to give out.

 _I'm sorry, Kara_.

She relented, letting the darkness seep back in, dropping down her eyelids. When an arm grab her waist and felt herself again being lifted off the ground.

"Hold on, Alex," J'onn's voice whispered in her ear. Forcing her eyes back open, she felt as though she was in a dream. Unable to process the surroundings, she blearily watched as the lighted opening approach her, moving her into the heart of it. The scenery sped by, becoming fragments upon fragments until finally, Alex succumbed to the darkness.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for not updating the chapter sooner. My mother had heart surgery and this got shoved to the side for awhile. Hopefully, now that things have calmed down a bit, I will be able to get back to a more regular update schedule. Thanks for continuing to hang with me and reading the story.

December 26, 2018

Alex closed her eyes and tilted her head up to the sun, letting the rays beat down on her face. The blistering heat snapped at the top of her bare feet and she dug her toes down deep into the sand until they were completely covered within the cool, wet layer of material. Leaning back on the palms of her hands, she stretched herself out, giving her entire body access to the heat. Beads of perspiration popped out across her forehead and ran down her hairline. But, she didn't care. It had been far too long since she had been able to relax on the beach in front of her childhood home. Able to take in the fresh, salt air and warm temperatures. And it was cleansing in more ways than one.

"Your pale, human skin is going to fry out here before long," Kara pointed out as she sat down on the beach towel beside Alex.

"Hmm." Alex slightly peeled open one eye, acknowledging her sister, before quickly closing it again. "Probably, but right now I just want to take it in."

"Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you," Kara took in a deep breath of air and turned her attention to the sky.

After a few seconds of contemplation, "I love the big puffy clouds that are painted across the pale blue sky this time of the year," she remarked. Turning to Alex, "remember when we used to spend our afternoons out here, assigning characters to all the different cloud shapes?"

"mm-hmm." Alex mumbled, maneuvering her torso down prone on the beach towel. Eyes purposefully remaining closed.

"That one looks like cotton candy," Kara said as Alex settled into her new position. "And while it's a bit mouthwatering, it's rather unimpressive as a cloud caricature.

"Hmm."

As Alex worked to tune her out, Kara continued to search out the sky, tilting her head at various angles to unscramble the shapes. "I can make out a dog in that one." Kara replied. "What do you think, Alex? Does it look like a dog?"

Content in her current state, Alex grunted an unintelligent response.

Ignoring Alex's monosyllable mumbling, "yep, I'm calling it. It's a dog. A terrier I think," Kara added.

After a few minutes of silence, when Alex thought Kara's interest had finally quelled and Alex had hit the zone between sleep and wake... ""And that one there ticks all of the boxes. It's Godzilla, expelling a fiery breath at the Wicked Witch of the West."

Curiosity pulling her out of her near sleep, Alex lifted her arm up over her head, shielding her now opened eyes from the sun's glare, and followed her sister's pointing finger. Sure enough Kara's description was on point.

"That's wild," Alex lazily responded, quickly letting her arm drop back down across her forehead. Desperately wishing for just a few minutes of sleep.

"Do you want this back?" Kara asked.

"Hmm," Alex mumbled. Turning her head to the side to find Kara holding a lime green body-board. In a second, she dropped her arm, pushed her torso off the ground and twisted her body to Kara.

"My Morey Mach 8 body-board!" Alex exclaimed. She reached out and grabbed the board from Kara's outstretched arms. "Where did you get it? I haven't seen this since I was 14 when Dad said it had flown off the deck during a windstorm and was forever lost."

Cheeks blushing, "Yeah, well, he lied," Kara admitted. "I took it out one day while you were gone."

Frowning, Alex looked up from inspecting the board.

"You remember...that was when I was still trying to get used to my powers." Kara cast her eyes down. "Well, I used to watch you from our bedroom window, out riding the waves and I thought -" she pulled at the frayed edge of her beach towel, "- I thought that maybe if I practiced at it while you were gone that I might good enough to go out riding with you. That maybe it could be something we could do together." She looked up at Alex, "you know - something that you wouldn't be embarrassed of me hanging out with you on."

Kara shrugged her shoulders. "But, of course, I screwed it up. Accidentally flew myself and the board into the rocks on the shore, smashing it to pieces," she confessed. "I was going to tell you, but Jeremiah said it would be better if you thought that the storm took it."

Alex felt her face flush, remembering how she had treated Kara when she first arrived. The outlandish things she used to do to avoid spending any free time with her. Precious time wasted. Hanging her head in regret, she nodded. "Yeah, he was probably right to do that. I wasn't a very good sister back then."

"Well...I didn't always make it easy for you to be a sister either," Kara replied. She grabbed Alex's hand. "But, hey, that's in the past. Now, there's no one that I count on more to have my back."

Squeezing Kara's hand, "And I'll always be there to watch it," Alex declared. She looked up at a smiling Kara.

Alex returned the smile, placed the board on the sand next to her and laid back down.

"Aren't you going to take it out for a spin?"

"Nah, maybe later. Right now I'd rather just hang with you." She shoved the board underneath her head, "tell me more about the figures in the clouds."

As she listened to Kara describe the abstract characters that were cast in the clouds, Alex's eyelids became very heavy and try as she might, she found it impossible to keep them open. The sun's heat enveloped her body and a listlessness slid across her mind, pushing Kara's voice into the distance. The soft pliable sand shifted under her, moving into a hard, uneven surface. And a cool breeze blew in, bringing the sound of dripping water in the distance with it. A mix of voices began to intertwine with the moving water and Alex could no longer hear Kara's voice.

She felt a tightness in her chest, her body telling her that something wasn't right. Something had moved out of place.

Forcing her eyes open, she found everything around her had changed. A rock enclosure had replaced the once blue sky and dark shadows had stolen away the sunlight. Turning her head to the side to locate her sister next to her, she instead was met with the hunched backside of an unknown figure.

"Kara?" Alex queried.

The figure turned and sharp, glacial blue eyes, flecked with amber specks glowed against the dark background.

Alex scrambled back, away from the shape and onto her side until her tailbone hit up against something hard. Momentum stopped, her vision tilted, causing her head to swim. She quickly slid her palm on the surface in front of her to catch her falling weight.

"Careful," the voice attached to the figure instructed. "Your body is still recovering from the serum." A candle was slid in front of Alex and the outline of a woman's pale, round face gave the piercing eyes form. "Give it a couple of minutes before you make any large movements." The woman pushed herself off of the edge of what Alex could now see was a flat, large boulder tucked into what appeared to be the side a cave.

The woman's small frame landed on the ground, her bushy, untamed strawberry-red locks bouncing off her shoulders. And without another word, she walked toward a lighted area further up a tunnel.

_Where the hell am I_? Alex thought.

Bits of memories from her fight in the forest and the last few days flitted through her mind. The holes of confusion began to fill and with this realization, Alex ignored the previous advice and abruptly pushed herself upright, knocking her head against the low ceiling of the alcove in the process.

" _Shit_!" She hissed and rubbed at the top of her head. As she tended to her damaged scalp, she realized that she was no longer wearing her black leather jacket. She also noted that she was able to move her arm freely, without the sharp pain of the snake bite shooting through her shoulder. Dropping her arm, she inspected the wound. It had healed. In fact, the skin looked completely unmarred.

Carefully scooting to the end of the rock shelf, she dangled her legs over the edge. There she paused and grabbed at her stomach. Lifting the bottom hem of her top from her waistband, she ran her fingers across the bare skin of her abdomen. Besides a small scar sitting an inch above her belly button, there was no other trace of the stitches from her surgery.

_What the hell is going on?_

Slowly, she slid her legs down the rock ledge and dropped to the floor of the cave. She followed the path - dimly lit with a few scattered torches, that the woman took earlier.

As she walked, the tunnel began to brighten and about 100 yards from her hideaway, the passage opened up into a large lit cavern that looked bigger than Alex's entire apartment. Scattered along the outside edges of the chamber were small pools of water, held in place by rock formations and replenished with the water dripping down from the cavern walls. The area was sectioned off by various boulders, columns of stalagmites and stalactites along with piles of sedimentary rocks.

Standing off to the far side a tall, lean woman was engaged in an animated conversation with Brainy. Her long, dark hair swirling around her head as she spoke. Toward the left-middle section of the cavern flat boulders had fallen to form a semi-circle. On them three men, all with their backs to Alex sat, heads tilted in. Their voices sending a quiet murmur across the room. On the opposite side of the ring of rocks, facing her was J'onn. As she hesitantly entered the opening, he noticed her.

"Alex, you're up." He stated as he quickly rose and made his way toward her. "Mo, why didn't you tell me that she was awake?"

"You didn't ask," a voice replied from Alex's right and she saw the same woman who first greeted her standing near a makeshift table. Wooden planks stretched across three smaller boulders and knapsacks, food and other supplies scattered across its top. The woman was grinding substances in a small porcelain mortar.

J'onn shook his head and greeted Alex with a hug. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Alex abruptly pulled away. "How long was I out?"

"About 12 hours."

"12 hours? That's all?"

J'onn grunted. "What, you wanted more?"

Alex shook her head, more to clear her thoughts than provide a response. "I don't get it. What's going on, J'onn?" She looked around the area. Recognizing no one except J'onn and Brainy. "What is this place? Who are these people?"

"It's complicated, Alex," J'onn lightly grabbed the back of her arm, steering her to the ledge of a nearby pool of water. "Let's sit down."

"Sit down?" Alex shook her arm free and dug her heels in. "No. I'm not sitting anywhere until I find out what's going on." She roughly ran her hand through her hair, eyes flicking between the strangers and J'onn. "Look at this," she hissed, stepping back to him, pulling her collar away from her neck. "Look at my shoulder, J'onn. 12 hours and it's gone - the snake bite. It's like it never existed." Her words rushed out and she clumsily lifted the bottom hem of her shirt, revealing her abdomen, "- and the stitches from my surgery - also gone. Nothing left but a small scar."

"It was too old to get rid of completely," the woman with the wild hair inserted.

Alex spun around to her. "Huh?"

"The wound," the woman pulled the pestle from the dish and pointed it at Alex's stomach, "too much time had passed from the time of the infliction for it to be healed entirely." She stuck the small piece back into the dish and resumed pressing the items. "It's better than what it was and your life was saved. You  _should_  be grateful, but my guess is that you'd rather we had let you die," she added.

"What? How would you - ." Alex stopped, tossed a bewildered look back at J'onn, and shook her head. Her mind racing to put pieces together. Turning to the woman, "you know nothing about me." She advanced toward her, "who are you anyway?"

"Alex, wait."

J'onn reached out to grab her arm, but Alex waved him off and continued, "why would you say that?"

Glancing around the cavern as she headed toward the woman, she suddenly pulled up. Something gnawed at her attention, but her brain hadn't quite processed it. Instinctively, she turned to study the strangers placed among the cavern. Men and women dressed in simple tattered, tactical attire. World weary faces that held young eyes that flashed between sadness and amusement. They held each other's attention. Well, all but one.

A stout man, wearing a light cloak sat hunched around the circle of boulders, his features hid by his rounded shoulders. Cautiously, she moved in his direction, every muscle in her body telling her that this is what her brain wanted her to see. That he held answers.

Her voice rose, "who are you people?" she asked the group as she stepped toward the man.

"Alex," J'onn insisted, clearly hoping to calm her down. But, Alex was too lost in her own quest to pay any attention.

"Did you make the portal?" She asked them. Her barrage of questions was met with silence. She neared the man, who was now close enough to touch. Glaring, unblinking at the strangers, "are you the ones who took Kara?" she demanded.

Releasing a heavy sigh, the man closed a large book resting in his lap and placed it on the cavern floor. As he stood, Alex took a step back, creating more space between the two. His small movements had sent a sense of familiarity down her spine. And when he turned to face her, the sudden jolt of recognition made her gasp out loud. J'onn Jones stood before her.

"How the - " she whipped her head back to where J'onn last stood. He hadn't moved. "What the hell -".

"Alex, let me explain." J'onn, her J'onn anyway, marched to her.

Like a spectator at a tennis match, Alex swung her attention between the two men. Besides the deeper lines around the corners of his eyes and a slight slouch of weariness to his body, the man in front of her was an exact physical match to J'onn.

"These people are from the future," J'onn continued as he neared. "They were brought here using technology that Brainy will invent in a few years."

He nodded at his clone. "This man is me, about 13 years from now." Pointing across the way from them at a broad shouldered man who had pulled his tall, athletic frame up, "and that's Luc." The man solemnly nodded. "And next to him is Penn." The shorter, wiry man shot Alex a more welcoming smile. J'onn opened up toward the room. "Elaine is over there talking to Brainy and I believe you've already met Mo," J'onn indicated at the fiery woman behind the table.

"All from the future," Alex repeated, taking the ensemble all in. It wasn't an unreasonable idea. After all, Brainy, Mon-El and Imra had come from the future.

"Yes, all from the future," J'onn replied and turned to face her. "And that's not all." He looked at her, patiently waiting for her to digest what he had already laid out. Finally, her eyes found his and he saw lucidity come across her face. "They're also descendants of Arthur and his court."

"Arthur? As in King Arthur?" Alex asked incredulously.

"Yes."

"But -", she let out a small chuckle and looked around the group again, letting her gaze linger a bit longer on each. "- that's just a story, a legend we were taught in school."

"Maybe to you it's a story," the man named Penn replied, "to us, it's part of our history. Who we are."

"To answer your earlier question," the future J'onn quietly stepped into the conversation, "yes, we made the portal that also brought you here and yes, we are the ones who took Kara's body."

"And now we're going to retrieve her soul. Bring her back to us," a new, but familiar voice broke from behind them.

Alex turned toward it.

A woman with shoulder-length auburn hair, flecked with grey stepped into the area from a narrow passageway at the back of the cavern. As she entered, the light from a nearby torch hit her face, sharpening her features and Alex was able to recognize an older version of herself glaring back at her.


	12. Chapter 12

_Pamukkale, Turkey December 26th 8:30 PM_

The small stones littering the cave floor crunched under their boots as they made their way through the tunnel. Alex wasn't sure that it could actually be classified as a tunnel. More like a chasm within the rock. The space was extremely narrow. She could reach out and touch both sides of the cold, wet walls as she walked. And it was dark. The light from the cavern behind them had faded as they moved deeper into the cave, leaving only a small amount of light from the flashlights that she and her future self, or Dani as she was called, carried.

Alex was still trying to wrap her head around having another version of herself. She had so many questions to ask and was so intrigued to learn more about who she was in the future. But, Dani's rigid back and brisk strides ahead of her hadn't exactly welcomed any questions let alone conversation. They hadn't said two words to each other since they entered the passage nearly ten minutes earlier. Abruptly, Dani pulled up ahead of her and waited the few seconds it took for Alex to reach her.

"Through here," she pointed to a ledge a few feet off the cave floor. Alex watched as Dani hoisted herself up and crawled through a small opening in the rock. Following her lead, Alex pulled herself up and slid through it.

At the end of the opening, Alex stopped and peeked into what looked at first glance like a small compartment hidden within the rock. The area was only dimly lit with a single torch hanging close to the opening near her, but when Dani walked to a placeholder hanging on the wall and lit another torch, the area was showered in light.

Alex dropped off the ledge and dusted herself off. God, she needed a shower. How long had it been since she'd had one? The face plant in the snow didn't really count. It had to have been right after she left the DEO infirmary.  _Was that one day ago or two_?

Straightening up, she fully took in the room. It was deceivingly quite large. And magnificent. The hollowed out circular chamber was framed with breathtaking powder-white walls, indented throughout with silver notches that gleamed when the light hit them and stretched up almost 20 feet in height. It was enclosed at the top with a similar material, save one small space in the back corner. Here, cross timbers held back dirt and sod from the ground above. And at the center of the chamber a solitary, large, flat rock rose out of the ground. On top lie a body wrapped in a linen shroud.

Purposely ignoring what sat in the center, Alex looked around the grand walls of the room and took in a deep breath. "This is beautiful."

Dani leaned back on one of the walls, crossed her arms. Flicking a gaze upward, she shrugged.

"I wonder what kind of rock it is," Alex noted.

"No clue. I'm not a geologist." Dani replied.

_Awesome. This is going well_ , Alex thought. Obviously, the task at hand wasn't going to get stymied down with small talk. Which meant that Alex could no longer avoid acknowledging the body on the rock.

Walking near the outside edge of the chamber, running her fingers along the crevices of the wall, Alex slowly made her way around the perimeter to the altar. Dani watched her, continuing to hang back on her spot by the wall.

"Why is she wrapped up?" Alex asked as she neared the altar.

"So it stays preserved," Dani stated flatly.

Alex shuddered. She didn't want to have to think about the damage that was inflicted on Kara's body. She ran her hand along Kara's shoulder. For a moment, her throat locked and she was unable to speak. Finally, "I still can't believe it's her. That it happened. That it's real."

"There shouldn't be any uncertainty," Dani said. "That body's very real and no matter how much we wish, it's not going away."

That's not was Alex meant, and Dani knew it.

"I'm well aware," Alex replied through gritted teeth. She didn't realize she was beginning to feel very hostile until she looked down and saw her hand clenched into a fist on the altar top. She looked over her shoulder to Dani. "Is there a problem?"

Dani scrunched up her face and tilted her head to the side. "Not that I'm aware of. Why? Do you have one?"

Alex let out a  _hmph_  and shook her head. The idea of getting to know her future self was quickly becoming less appealing.

Turning back to the wrapped body, she tried imaging that it was her sister underneath. She found the outline of Kara's hand and grasped her fingers with her own. All this time later, she could still remember what it felt like to hold Kara's trembling fingers inside hers after a nightmare one of the first evenings after her arrival.

Taking in a slow breath, "I'm going to take this off. I need to see her."

"No." Dani replied firmly. "The body has to stay wrapped up."

Alex looked back at Dani. Her future self still stood with her arms crossed, chin down. Barely looking at Alex. "You want me to believe that this is her, but you say all that so nonchalantly.  _Body_.  _It_. As if  _it_  isn't Kara. Isn't our sister."

Dani thrust her chin up and glared at Alex. " _It_  isn't. That's not Kara. Her soul left minutes after she bled out on that makeshift cross." She turned her head from Alex and stared into the empty space of the room. "That's just an empty shell."

"How can you - how can  _I_  be so cold?" Alex asked.

Dani clenched her jaw and said nothing.

Alex turned back to Kara's body. "I want to see her." She repeated and began to reach out to unwrap the cloth.

"No!" Dani yelled and stepped toward Alex. "Did you not hear a thing I said?"

"Yes, I heard you," Alex pulled her hand back and looked at Dani. "But I told you. I need to see her. To confirm it's really her. At this point, I can't believe that a couple of minutes would make any difference."

Dani quickly made her way to the other side of Kara's body. "I've told you that it's her body. That's the only confirmation that you should need," she argued.

"Just because you've confirmed it doesn't automatically make it okay for me." Alex countered. "You may be a version of me that's had time to let this whole thing sink in - to move on and get used to it, but I haven't. She still matters to me."

"Still matters to  _you_?" Dani repeated. She leaned over, grabbed the edge of the altar. "As if she doesn't matter to me." Shaking her head, "you just don't get it." Shoving herself away from the altar, she stormed across the chamber to the opening. "Your unwillingness to listen to others and pigheadedness is what got us here in the first place," she threw out as she walked by Alex. Quickly, she pulled herself up to the opening, leaving Alex in the chamber alone.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

A few minutes later, Alex emerged from the passageway. A sense of weariness and defeat clung to her steps. Brainy, J'onn, his future self Jonah and Elaine and Penn were sitting around the middle set of rocks. Looking around the cavern, she noted Dani glaring at her, leaning against a wall within a few feet of the group. Mo was still working with some concoction at her table.

"Everything okay?" J'onn asked her as she pulled up a seat next to him.

Alex shot a quick glance over to Dani across the way before turning back. "Yeah, it's fine." Looking over at the crew from the future, "where's the other one - the tall guy?"

"Luc?" Penn asked. "He's gone into town to get some food for supper and last minute supplies."

Alex gave an acknowledging nod. Bending over, she placed her elbows onto her knees, hung her head and wrung her hands together.

Jonah watched her. "It's a lot to take in." She peered at him from behind loose bangs that had fallen across her face. "And you're wondering how this is all going to work," he added.

"It's crossed my mind."

Jonah looked to Penn and Elaine.

Penn received a quick acknowledging glace from Elaine, took a slow sip from the tin cup he was nurturing and set it down. "There is a belief, written in the Greek legends, that when someone dies, their soul travels to the Underworld," he said.

"The  _Underworld_?" Alex asked. "Isn't that another name for  _hell_?"

"No," Elaine, who had been quietly sitting rigid like a regimented military leader next to Penn, inched forward on the stone. "Many think that, but the Underworld is actually composed of many different divisions or regions." The intensity in her eyes made the grey iris' shine like brushed steel. "There is a region that could be equivalent to the human version of hell, but others are tamer, more pleasant places like heaven. When -", hesitating, she looked over to Penn who nodded. "When a soul enters the Underworld, they're judged and sent to a specific area depending on the kind of life they led here on Earth."

"And you think that Kara is there? That we can go to this Underworld and get her. Bring her back?"

"Maybe," Penn hesitantly replied.

" _Maybe_?" Alex's voice raised a bit.

"Some theorists have proposed that once a soul enters the Underworld and receives judgement, that it is impossible for it to leave," Penn explained.

"But, we don't think that's the case with Kara," Elaine quickly added. "Because in order to cross over, to be judged, the dead had to have received a proper burial."

"And, Kara hasn't had one," Penn said. "Which is one of the reasons why we took her when we did."

"So, it would give us more time," Elaine supplied.

"To get things together," Penn continued.

"To be able to bring her back," Elaine finished.

"Kara isn't from Earth. She's Kryptonian." All eyes shifted to J'onn. "Why would she follow the same path after death as those on Earth?" he asked.

"She spent as much time on Earth as she did on Krypton," Dani piped in from beside them. "And she died on Earth. Which makes the likelihood of her soul going to the Underworld much more possible."

Alex straightened and eyed Penn and Elaine across from her. "It sounds like there are an awful lot of  _if's_  and  _maybes_. How do we even know that she's there?"

"We used our super duper decoder ring," Dani muttered, rolled her eyes and turned a shoulder away from the group, hunching against the wall.

Penn swiveled toward her and tossed a scowl. Turning back to Alex his earnest eyes found hers. "Yes," his voice softened, "you're right. There are a lot of unknowns," he conceded.

"It will work," Mo assured them. Questioning heads turned. Patiently waiting for her to elaborate as she slowly poured a thick green liquid into a cauldron. "I've seen it."

"You've seen what?" Alex said.

"The dwelling where souls are collected," Mo set the dish down and wiped her hands on a linen. "Where the unseeing wander the place between life and death."

Jonah turned to Alex. "Mo has the ability to perceive things. To prophesy events," he explained.

"So, then you've seen Kara?"

Mo reached across the table and grabbed a set of green leaves. "It doesn't work like that, but I've felt her, yes."

"Okay, you've  _felt_  her. But, you believe she's there," Alex stated.

Mo nodded as she tore the blades from the stem. Ripping them into small pieces and tossing them into the container.

A disquiet feeling brewed through Alex. A gnawing certainty that she was missing something. "And how are we supposed to get to her?"

"Through an entry into the Underworld," Elaine jumped in. "Anthropologists acknowledge that there maybe openings into the Underworld from above - from here on Earth. And one of those, Pluto's Gate, is not even a kilometer from where we now sit."

"Wait." Brainy said. "Pluto's Gate? I have heard of this place." Frowning, "The air there is not safe for human passage."

"Mo's taking care of that," Penn said. "We needn't worry."

Alex drew in a slow breath. Despite of Penn's assurances, she was having some difficulty putting her concerns aside. But, this was the path she was supposed to take. She felt it. Everything since that night in the warehouse had led her to this place, to these people. The wind picked up outside the cave, infusing and energizing her.

Standing up, "When do we go?" she asked.

" _You_  don't go," Dani stated. Alex shot a look at her. "Mo and I leave at first light tomorrow morning," Dani continued, "everyone else is staying here to protect the body while we're gone." With that, Dani turned on her heels and walked out of the cave.

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

The flickering light from the torches cast an orange glow throughout the cavern. Shadows off the stalagmites danced around the recessed area where Alex sat, hunched over and legs crossed on the cave floor. The last week had been a roller coaster of emotions and it was only by pure adrenaline and desperation to find Kara's body that she had been able to get through it. She had thought that once she found Kara, that it would give her time. Time to finally reconcile with the loss and find some way to move forward. Instead, she was right back on that roller coaster, trying to hold on to a little bit of hope that had just been laid at her feet.

"Mind if I have a seat?" A voice broke into her thoughts and she looked up to find Jonah hovering over her.

"No," she shook her head and moved over just a bit, "not at all."

Jonah slid down the wall next to her. "Luc is going to take offense if you don't eat his famous kebabs."

"Huh?" Alex glanced at Jonah who pointed to the meat and rice on a plate that she was pushing around with her fork. "Oh. Yeah." Setting the fork onto the plate, "I'm not very hungry."

"I see." Jonah pulled his feet up to his torso and rested his arms on his knees. "It's important to keep your strength up."

"Hmm. I suppose it is." But, Alex shoved the plate away from her anyway and leaned back against the wall next to Jonah. Glancing at the ceiling, she took a few seconds to gather her thoughts. "I'm just having trouble figuring it all out. Wrapping my head around it," she finally said, pulling her eyes off the cave ceiling.

"About Kara?"

She nodded. "Yes. About Kara," Alex brought her feet and knees up to her rear and laid her arms across her stomach. Bending into herself. "When I found out that she'd -" swallowing - "died, I couldn't accept it and really -" she shook her head, "- really, there wasn't time to accept it. We were so busy trying to find her...and then," she slid the palm of one hand along her thigh up to her knee, "it was like - I hadn't really accepted it, but I was able to acknowledge it - " bouncing her fist on top of her knee " - that it had happened - you, know?" She glanced at Jonah who bowed his head. "And I had just started to think - to believe - that maybe at least she was in a better place."

"But, now...now I find that we may be able to find her - bring her back and -," she ran her hand through her hair - "and I...I don't know. I want her back so badly, but I don't know what that might mean for her."

"You're afraid that she might be happy where she is and that you could ruin that," Jonah supplied.

"Yes," Alex bobbed her head. "And while I'm relieved that there's a possibility to have her back, I also feel guilty for having that hope." She looked back to Jonah. "Does that make sense?"

"Perfect sense," he said. "I've had a similar conversation before." Alex's eyes followed his as he looked to Dani sitting near the mouth of the cave.

"With her - I mean, me?" Alex asked. " _Hmph_! I can imagine what she would have said," Alex replied sarcastically. Rolling her eyes, she put her head back against the wall. "How can I be so detached - so  _unfeeling_?"

" _Unfeeling_?" Jonah repeated as he watched Dani look to the stars in the sky outside the cave. "No, I would say it's just the opposite. You've felt too much." He looked back to Alex. "You say that part of helping you get through Kara's death was being busy. Searching for her body. Well, Dani - or that Alex," he indicated to Dani, "didn't have that distraction and the outcome was much different."

"How so?"

"Let's just say that she had a different coping technique."

"Drinking," Alex stated flatly.

Jonah nodded, "it took many years of self-blame and self-destruction to get you back on the right path - to be able to finally accept it and move on." He lowered his chin, "and actually her response to this plan was exactly as yours was - at first."

"Really?" Alex asked doubtfully.

"Mm hmm."

"What made her change her mind?"

"The war."

"War?" Alex asked. "What war?"

"The catastrophic war that will destroy entire nations, civilizations," softening his voice, "families." He looked around the cave at the team members scattered about the cave. His eyes grew distant, his face became pensive. "The world I come from is very different from what it is now. It's a place where there is no order. Where laws - real laws designed to protect all species, don't exist."

"In my world, there aren't any heroes left." He waved his hand out away from him - "they're all wiped out. Hunted down. Exterminated. A few years after Kara, Clark fell. Then Barry who came to help. Oliver. All of them - all made examples of for anyone, human or alien, who might even think about trying to step into their shoes. And survival for the rest of us - well," shaking his head, "sometimes it meant doing things that one never thought they would ever do."

He turned his head and hooked Alex's gaze. He held it for a long moment. "The idea of bringing Kara back - to even allow her death to happen in the first place. It wasn't taken lightly. There were many other attempts to try to avoid it. Each one resulting in failure." He glanced over to Dani. "Each one cutting a bit deeper." He paused to make sure she was paying attention. "But, this war and the truth about what humans and aliens can do to each other. It seeps into you. Eventually, you will do anything to stop it. And it was her death and the possibility of what bringing her back can do to change the future - to stop all of it that left us no other choice."

Alex inhaled deeply. She sat, her hands hanging off her knees and looked over to where Dani sat.

"I have to go to this place - this Underworld," she stated firmly. "I need to be there when we find Kara, to bring her back."

Jonah turned his attention to Dani, too. Nodding, "yes, you do. But, this trip will not be as easy as Penn and Mo make it out to be. There will be obstacles, forces greater than any of us that won't be so willing to give her up. And there's a good possibility that no one will make it out."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of Part 1


	13. Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has read Part I of this story and to those who have left a comment or a kudo, I give a special shout-out of appreciation. Now, we're onto Part II and I hope you enjoy what is to come.

_The Underworld, Erebus near the River Styx_

There was no moon here. That was what struck her when she first arrived. Brought out of life, out of the knowing, into this place by a messenger who called himself Hermes.

There had been a moon the last time she had seen Alex.

 _Alex_.

One of only a few memories that stood in her head. Not clearly. Definitely not tangible. But, like a wisp of smoke, one that would drift across her mind if she concentrated hard enough. Each time she held onto it a little longer. She just couldn't keep it there.

By the moonlight, she could recall a body being carried away as she watched from above. And she had felt relief... That she had at least managed to save Alex.

_Please, let this memory, this person, be safe! Let that be real._

But, why? Why did this memory - this one that was hard to hold - even exist?

She didn't know how long she had been  _here_.

 _Here_  was by the side of the River Styx. And  _here_  was among the nonliving. The souls waiting to pass over. That is, if you believe Hermes... If Hermes was actually who he said he was. If he even spoke the truth.

If she had died as Hermes had said, why did she have these wounds? She opened the top of her robe and ran her hand across the puncture in her chest. The blood had started to seep again. She clutched the robe to her chest, against the wound. Why wouldn't it stop?

And why was she  _here_? Something felt wrong, felt off. This isn't where she was supposed to be. This isn't what was supposed to happen.

_Too many ifs…Too many whys._

She missed the Sun. The way it felt.. Warming her from the tips of her toes… spreading up to engulf all of her...missed basking in that warmth and that energy.

Here, the land lay shrouded in darkness. Was there even land? There was rock above her and she could see the river a few hundred feet from where she stood. But, beyond that was unclear as it was covered in a dense fog.

And it was so crowded to even catch a good look. The crowd, jostling her, pushing her back away from the banks as they scrambled to get to the boat.

 _You can't go, they told her._   _Your death hasn't been finalized, they said_. Go where? Why did she have to wait?

There are so many of them. Where do they come from? Do so many die every day? Or, have they been waiting? Like her.

The waters were dark with barely a ripple. Because for there to be ripple, there had to be wind.

She missed the wind… the feeling she got when flying with the air pressing against her... the whistle in her ears, the cape blowing straight on her back.

And the colors down below as she flew. The green of the woodlands...blue of the seas… the red of the canyon floor.

Another memory. So she had thought. It had felt so real. But, it could not be. She had tried to fly when she first arrived. Had even tried when Hermes carried her...to his surprise and consternation, which turned into compassion later when she fell out of his arms and onto the ground.

And  _here_... with barely any light, it was difficult to tell the color of anything.

Even the people were shrouded in grey. Wearing dark robes, hoods covering their heads. Hiding their faces. Like her.

Again, she looked down at her chest. The bleeding had stopped, but the pain was still there. This was real. This she could feel.

She missed the smells of the place she left behind. The warm soil. Orange blossoms… the scent of earth after the first spring shower… chocolate pecan pie… red roses…fire burning...

Why was there no smell? It was as if her senses were shutting down except for touch and sight - and even of those she couldn't be certain.

The darkness permeated the air...leaving her empty. Crowds pressed against her... she pushed back. Offering her some relief from the monotony. Had time passed? Why couldn't she see?

Claustrophobia began to set in. Those around her disappeared. Replaced with explosions, fires burning and then - nothing but pitch black...darkness. The silence. It was so quiet...and she waited. Endlessly. There was no air. Her chest burned. She needed to get away. Get out!

Then, she was back. Back to struggling against the masses. She didn't know how to save herself from this. Didn't know if she even could be saved. Maybe if she pushed harder, went further…across the river...

"I know you," a voice cut through the crowd and suddenly a young girl appeared in front of her.

She stared at it. Her face blanked. Unsure of what she saw. What she heard. Blinking, she turned her head away. She needed to find clarity. Since Hermes, no one had really spoken to her. Only at her. This wasn't real. It was another illusion, playing tricks with her mind.

Expecting to find the aberration gone, she returned her attention to the spot in front of her. The girl still stood there. Watching her. The crowd around them had dispersed and space had suddenly opened up.

"You're the one who saved me," the girl told her.

"I did?" she asked, quickly grabbing at her throat. Her own voice sounded strange to her. As if it existed outside of herself. In a different realm.

"Yes, you did." The girl scrunched up her face. Tilting her head, she leaned in. "Is this the first time that you've spoken since you got here?"

She nodded her head. Fear and apprehension strangling her.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it."

Swallowing and then clearing her throat, she finally tried again. "I -" she coughed " - I will?"

"Yes." Resigned, the girl sat down on a flat rock. "You don't really exist anymore. Physically anyway." She poked at her thigh as if testing to see that it was still there. "And the things that were created by your physical form also don't exist," the girl continued. "But, we have memories of them so we still hear our voices - they're just not part of us anymore. So it appears as though they're coming from somewhere else." The small face turned up to her. Hazel eyes peeking around her hood. "It just takes time for everything - our memories - to catch up."

The girl pointed toward her chest. "That wound - it still bleeds because it's a part of your physical body. The one that exists, lost somewhere on Earth - waiting to be given a final resting place. Does it hurt?"

Nodding, she sat down next to her. "Yes," she whispered.

"That means that you're starting to remember those things. That life - that body. The longer you stay here, the more you will remember. The more it will hurt." The girl pulled down her hood and turned her head to show a gaping hole in the back of her skull. "I didn't even know that I had this until it started hurting...until the memories began flowing back."

"I thought you said I saved you?"

"You did."

The girl pulled her hood back up. "I had been with my father. It was his weekend to have me. And he was taking me to my mom's for the week. He was drinking as usual. Our car swerved off the road and you flew in and caught it. Saving us both." She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "But, I still had to go see him. One night, he got drunk and I confronted him on it. He came at me, shoved me and I fell down the stairs. I hit my head on the corner banister and that was it." Shrugging her shoulders, "he dumped my body in a wooded area a few towns away. They're still looking for it and I've been waiting here ever since."

"That sounds horrible."

"It wasn't bad at first. Until the memories came and the details became sharper." The girl gave another shrug. "I just try to think about the happier times. Like you saving me," she gave a half-hearted smile.

"I flew in? And caught you?"

The girl nodded vigorously. "From out of nowhere."

"So, that  _was_  real," she said. "I  _can_  fly."

"Of course you can," the girl stated. "You're Supergirl."

 _Supergirl_. It sounded familiar. An image of a broken down building, men in masks and weapons flitted across her mind. The sound of a heartbeat pounded in her ears and a tingling went up her spine.

Her body, or this form, began to ache. The wounds on it throbbed and her lungs constricted making it harder to breathe. She wrapped her arms around her sides, pulling them in tight. "I - I'm Supergirl," she pushed out.

The girl flicked her finger at her cheek. "You're bleeding," she indicated. And waited as Supergirl dabbed at her cheek with the back of her hand before continuing. "Well, that's what they called you. I don't know your real name in that life."

 _Supergirl_. At least that was something. Something she knew was real. She pulled her hand back into the sleeve of her robe and resumed her tucked position. "How long have you been here, uh - ?"

"Sara," the girl replied. "I don't really know how long. Time doesn't really exist. It was part of the physical world. There are no events here so nothing needs to be measured. It just is." She gazed out at the others around them. "But, I know that I've seen many come and many leave. Across that river," she nodded.

"What's over there?"

"Don't know." Sara turned back to Supergirl. "Hermes said that once you cross, you lose all memory of the physical world. That you - as you were, no longer exist to you. I'm not sure what that means exactly, but I don't think that would be a bad thing. Forgetting that life - that painful existence." She shook the past out of her head. "And it has to be better than where we are now."

Supergirl watched the people on the shore pushing against each other. Climbing over fallen bodies to get to the boat that had returned from across the river. The fog began creeping onto the shore - mixing in with the darkness. Bringing a sense of isolation and loneliness through her.

"How do we get there?"

"Hermes said that we need to talk to Charon, the ferryman," Sara jerked her head over her shoulder to the man at the helm of the boat. "He said there might be a way for us to go."

Supergirl watched as the bearded man that she had seen go back and forth across the river use a long oar to once again shove off the shore. Kicking at those who clung to the sides of the boat as it drifted away. Their bodies dropping into the water.

That familiar faint heartbeat hit her ears again and a searing pain ripped through her chest. She bent further into herself, clutching onto her wound. Yes, it had to be better than here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to acknowledge a good friend who has helped tremendously with this next section. Giving me support, suggestions and material to be able to expand on.


	14. Chapter 14

On any other day, Alex might have appreciated sitting among the wild flowers and the vibrant green switchgrass of the field. But at the moment, the seeds from their shoots were clinging to the cold sweat running down her neck. Pricking at the skin, distracting her from any of their aesthetic properties. She ran her fingers back behind her ear, wiping the sweat mixture off her hairline. By itself, the irritation wouldn't have had much impact, but combined with the dry sticky mouth and the turning of her stomach, it was currently competing with one of her worst hangovers on record.

Stomach suddenly lurching once again, she quickly grabbed onto her sides and pulled her elbows in.

"Good gawd, I'm pretty adept at barreling through a morning after alcohol binge, but this...this doesn't even begin to compare," bending into herself further, she twisted to the side to prepare for a new wave of nausea. "What the hell was in that crap you gave us?"

Standing, unperturbed a few feet behind her, Mo stretched out her back and scanned the surroundings. "Lizard teeth, blood of a goat, fur of a -"

"Stop!" Dani's voice yelled from the tall grass off to Alex's left. Struggling to lift her torso from its prone position...finally getting there, she leaned back on her elbows. Muffling a rising belch, she continued, "I don't need to know the details. Only that it worked."

"Indeed it did," Mo agreed. Quite content with her success, she began gathering her tangled red mane into a ponytail. "The thick liquid seeped through our bodies, filling every crevice, protecting it from the toxic air while at the same time allowing us to breathe as we traveled through the tunnel."

"Ugh." Alex slowly pushed herself to a standing position, testing out her still shaky legs. She lifted her chin up and looked around the area. The air was still, the sun hidden from immediate view. She ran her hand across dry, cracked lips. "And yet, while both of us feel like we got hit with a Mack truck, you look like you're ready for a hike up that red mountain over there."

"Yes well, apparently some of us are more proficient at handling our tonics than others." Mo snapped the last loop of the elastic hair tie into place and watched as Alex began to slowly shuffle to the river a few yards from her. "Perhaps it's a weakness...in your DN - I wouldn't recommend you do that," she said.

Alex glanced over her shoulder at her. "Do what?" Dropping to the ground, "I just need a quick drink to quench my thirst and settle my stomach."

"Not if you ever plan on leaving here," Mo told her. "Eating or drinking anything from this place will condemn you to it for eternity. But, you suit yourself."

"Great," Alex said, sarcasm dripping, she crawled her hands up her legs, back to an upright position.

"You know, you could have just stayed above," Dani suggested. Getting to her feet, "there really wasn't any reason for you to come in the first place."

Alex sighed and made her way back to the pile of supplies she brought. "There's more reason for me to be here than you. As Jonah tried to explain to you before we left, this isn't  _your_  Kara. Yours is back in your time period... in your parallel universe. So, this one is more likely to remember me... if we need her to."

"Jonah doesn't know what he's talking about," Dani argued. "This is  _my_  Kara. She's the same Kara with the same experiences and so, she's just as likely to remember me as she would you."

"She may be the same, but you're not. And just because you're unable to wrap your head around the concept of a multiverse doesn't mean you should tear J'onn down in the process," Alex countered, hunched over, scavenging her pack for a drink. "You never could admit when you were wrong."

Grumbling, Mo began walking away.

"J'onn?" Dani snickered "And I'm the one who can't keep things straight!" Rolling her eyes, she caught Mo's retreat out of the corner. "You can't even remember who's who - Mo, where are you going?" She called out.

"I have no desire to be a spectator while you decide which version of  _you_ is the most obtuse." She strung one arm through the strap on her small knapsack as she walked. "I'm going to find our lost soul and hopefully convince her to leave this place," she tossed over her shoulder at the baffled pair.

"You're -". Alex dropped her just acquired water bottle back into her pack. "Wait!"

Both she and Dani quickly gathered their supplies and jogged to catch up with Mo. "Do you know where you're going?" Alex breathlessly asked once they reached her.

"Based on our surroundings, I believe that this is the edge of the Elysian Fields." Mo stated as she plowed through the tall grass. Readjusting her knapsack, "ahead of us is the Hall of Judgement and beyond that red mountain there," she indicated, "is Tartarus - or as some like to refer to it - hell."

"So, the Hall of Judgement is our target?" Alex asked.

"No, that is definitely not our...target. _That_...we want to avoid. Our destination lies to the left, where the River Styx joins with the other rivers of the Underworld. To the shores of Erebus, where the dead first arrive in the Underworld."

"And that's where we'll find Kara?" Dani asked.

"Yes, that's where we'll find the last hope for the future."

As they walked through the meadow, three sets of red eyes glowed from a nearby grove of trees. Their black, leather-winged bodies hidden by the dark shadows of the forest. Circling around each other, they twitched, hissed and spoke in a tongue that no human would understand. Suddenly their ritual stopped. An agreement reached among the three, they flapped their wings, rising up to fly out of the trees and into the sky. Toward the banks of the River Styx.

* * *

The crowd seemed even thicker, more erratic the closer they got to Charon. The awaiting souls plucked viciously at each other, desperate to grab a spot on the boat.

But, Supergirl and Sara had an advantage. Hermes had agreed to accompany them, helping to plead their case to the ferryman.

As they made their way down to the river, Hermes' white chiton and wide-brimmed hat topped with a single gold wing on the low crown distinguished him from the dreary attire of the souls wandering on the shore. And as he strode through the crowd, the souls instinctively opened a path for the trio along the river's edge. After all, he was the messenger, the one who had helped guide them through their transition.

"Charon, my good man!" Hermes called out as they approached the boatman.

The deceivingly weak and haggard man momentarily paused from sweeping the throngs of souls off his boat to acknowledge Hermes over his shoulder.

"What do you want, Hermes?" he asked. "- get off here, you ungrateful ghoul!" he yelled, interrupted by a straggler attempting to climb onto the boat. After stomping on its outreached hand, he flicked a look back to Hermes. " - I don't have time for chit-chat."

"I know you're a very busy man, Charon," Hermes bowed his head, attempting to appeal to the ferryman's hubristic personality. "Much busier than me, just a meager messenger. But, I have two souls who need to board your boat and cross to the other side."

"Who?" Charon again halted the disposing of stowaways to eye Supergirl and Sara as they stepped from behind Hermes' back. After a quick beat, "Nah, those two are shameful shades, not deemed worthy enough to be given a small coin to gain passage."

"Not worthy?" Hermes replied, "I beg to differ. This one here is Supergirl. A supreme fighter, equal to the likes of Athena and Ares. And a hero to boot, like our Hercules. Saving lives...in fact the entire human world, sacrificing her own mortal body in the process." He placed a hand on Supergirl's shoulder. "Some would even consider her a God. Surely you've heard of her?"

Charon raised an eyebrow, as if blandly curious. He swung the long oar indiscriminately around the boat, knocking off insistent souls. Threatening them - "stay off or I go back with an empty boat!"

Then, jumping down onto the rocky shore, he strode over to Supergirl. Propping the oar up on his shoulder like a woodsman carrying his prized axe, his beady eyes burned like embers from his hollowed face as he advanced on her.

Supergirl made a conscious effort not to clasp at the opening of her cloak, not to coil in disgust. Instead, she worked to stand up tall as he scratched at his white, unkempt beard, judging her from head to toe. Even so, she couldn't contain the shiver that crawled up her spine.

For a microsecond his eyes tightened, like he recognized an old foe. Then, shaking his head, "never heard of her," he flatly said. "If she were a true God, she wouldn't need to plead for passage. Her followers would have made sure she had the means to cross."

He began to turn and make his way back to his boat when Sara suddenly reached out and grabbed the corner of his ragged, charcoal cloak.

"Wait!" Dropping to her knees, "she is a hero! She saved - ".

Charon's face twisted into a rage, "Dare to touch me scrounger! You will regret it!"

He lifted the wooden oar off his shoulder and swung it down on a cowering Sara. In an instant, Supergirl stepped in, covering Sara with her body. The blow landing across the back of her shoulders. Knocking her aside, onto the ground.

Charon scowled in anger at Supergirl, raising the oar once again to strike in retribution as she struggled to her knees.

As he swung the oar, a blur of white flashed in front of Supergirl. The oar's progression suddenly stopped. Landing across the staff that a firmly planted Hermes was bracing in front of his body.

"Sorry Charon, I can't let you do that," Hermes declared. "You're making a mistake. You may not recognize her, but she is a hero to humanity and deserves better." Releasing his staff from Charon's oar, he reached down to help Supergirl off the ground. "But, you've made your point," he told Charon, "they need coins to pass and you have more important things to tend to." He nodded at the boat that was starting to tilt, overflowing with passengers.

"Truce?"

Charon took a quick glance at his boat before pulling his attention back to Supergirl and Sara. Weighing his pros and cons.

Finally, "truce...for now," he scoffed and pointed his oar out at Supergirl. "But, coins or no coins, don't try to gain access to my boat again." And with that, he turned on his heels, thrust his chest out and swaggered back to the shoreline. "Get off my boat!" he bellowed to the riders.

Hermes guided Supergirl and Sara away from the shoreline.

When they reached the bank, even though her back and shoulders throbbed with new pain, Supergirl bent down and gave Sara a boost up to climb the high, flowstone ledge that jetted out from the bank.

"Why did you do that?" Supergirl asked over her shoulder at Hermes as she climbed up the ledge herself. "Protect me from him?"

Following behind her, Hermes firmly told her, "because, you don't belong here."

 _Don't belong here?_ She wondered as she hoisted herself over the edge. Standing, she looked down at him for clarification, but his head was tilted down, focused on his footing. Seemingly not willing to offer anything more.

"I don't think we're ever going to get across now," Sara sighed from behind her. "Charon hates us. And even if he did agree to let you through, he would never let me pass." She dropped her chin down onto her chest.

Supergirl turned, dropped down next to her and grabbed onto her shoulders. "Hey, I've gotcha. Don't worry. We'll get there." Sliding her hands down, she grabbed onto one of Sara's, smothering it between her own. "I promise you...I will get us  _both_  across."

"There might be another way," Hermes said as he dusted off his chiton. "So you don't have to go through Charon."

Standing up, "how?" Supergirl asked.

"Persephone, Goddess of the Underworld. She could be persuaded to grant you access."

"Persephone?" she questioned. "What would we need to do?"

"There is a small meadow...beyond there -," he pointed at the high, jagged mountains on the horizon next to the end of the river, "- of flowers and grains surrounded by pomegranate bushes and evergreen trees." He turned back to Supergirl, "It's close to the entrance of the Underworld. If you could get there, collect some grains and flowers, I might be able to arrange a meeting with Persephone...the grains and flowers are her favorites and could be used as an offering - a gift so to speak."

"And you think she would let us pass?"

"Possibly," he said. "She definitely has the power to do so."

Supergirl looked at Sara. "It wouldn't hurt to try."

"I'm game," Sara replied. "We have to do something. I can't stand this place and its pain any longer."

"Fair warning," Hermes said, "there are many dark and dangerous creatures in the Underworld that might cross your path as you travel. And as a shade, even though humans can't hurt you, anything that's in the Underworld or any God can do damage."

Hermes looked at the horizon behind him, as if hearing a call. "I have to go. Someone has entered the Underworld."

Supergirl grabbed his hand before he could depart. "Thank you, Hermes," she said.

Hermes smiled broadly, his blue eyes crinkling at the corner. He tipped his winged hat at the two of them. "Good luck!" Turning, he sped off so quickly that his body became a blur.

Triggering a memory, the image sent a static charge through Supergirl.

_A man, clothed in a red suit and hood, running alongside her, sprinting with such speed that the green landscape blurred around them. She...pushing him...his body disappearing through a distorted hole._

"Goodbye, Barry," she muttered.

"Who?" Sara asked.

Her voice brought Supergirl back into the present. With it came the now familiar pain ripping through her chest and side. Clutching at her chest, she bent over as the pain shot through her.

Shaking her head, "I don't know," she whispered.

Sara frowned. "Another memory?"

"Mm hmm," Supergirl groaned, rubbing at the wound.

Fighting through it until it became a dull ache, she took in a couple of deep breaths. "It's better," she reassured Sara. Because something inside of her felt that that was important. That Sara's well-being was a priority.

Straightening, "you ready to go?" She asked and pushed up a small smile. "Get our ticket across?"

"Yep!" Sara flashed a big smile at her. "And I can't wait to have a pomegranate. Actually, I think I'll eat two or three!" She glanced over at Supergirl as they began to walk across the ledge, "have you ever had a pomegranate, Supergirl?"

"I -", Supergirl tilted her head to the side, " - I don't know," she said hesitantly, scowling vacantly at the space in front of her.

"Well, I have! They're so delicious and I haven't had one of those in...well, I don't know how long." Sara grabbed onto Supergirl's forearm and pulled it into her side. "You'll like them, too, I'm sure of it."

Supergirl stepped closer to Sara and smiled. A true smile this time. "If you say that they're delicious, then I believe you. And I think I'll eat a whole bushel of them!" she exclaimed. The two souls made their way across the rocks, toward their field of hope.

_xxxxxxxx_

Perched on a cliff side, high above, the three red-eyed creatures watched the two depart the river bank. Their wings flapped together as they eagerly anticipated what this information could provide for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know about y'all, but I'm so very happy to be able to have Supergirl back in the story.


	15. Chapter 15

The magma red Lincoln Mark Coupe spun around the circular drive, stopping just short of the wide travertine steps that led up to the European inspired mansion sitting on top of National City’s highest cliff.

Three impressive dogs rounded the corner of the estate, halting at a spot mid-way down the sidewalk. Back hairs bristling and ears laying flat, they stared out at the intruder.

The car door swung open and a woman with a long, red-wine tailcoat jacket slinked out of the car. Her black patent Gucci boots clicked on the white stone as she made her way up the sidewalk. 

The brindled coat mastiff inched toward her. Confronting her, he bared his white canine teeth. A deep growl vibrated deep within his chest. 

“Now Andronicus,” the woman halted, “we have this dance every time I visit.” Bending down, she swung her thick black hair to the side, grabbed his studded collar with both hands and kissed the side of his muzzle. “And I must say that you’re the most handsome partner I’ve ever had.” Reaching deep into her jacket pocket, she laughed when he quickly swiped the three milk bones lying in her open palm. Wagging his tail, he then turned and followed her up to the marble carved column entry. 

Standing on the inlaid tile porticolo landing, she was just about to knock on the heavy crafted wooden door when it swung open and a tall man stepped through the threshold. 

Leaning on the jamb of the door, he crossed his arms and pulled back his broad shoulders. “You’re spoiling my prized guard dog. Making him weak and worthless.”

Pushing on his barreled chest, forcing him to step back, she barged through the doorway. 

“What can I say? He takes after his master and is a sucker for beautiful women,” she replied. Walking past the curved Italian staircase into the vaulted living space, she sat down in the upholstered wing chair next to the ornate travertine fireplace. 

“Yes, but he seems to like you in spite of that,” the man retorted. Shutting the door, he followed her in. “What do you want, Eris?” he asked.

“So rude...so brusque. It’s no wonder why you don’t have any friends. You really have no manners.” She settled back into the chair and crossed her legs. “Here I have news that will change your standing with the Gods and you haven’t even bothered to offer me a drink.” 

Sighing heavily, he walked to the coordinating bar sitting in the corner of the room. Folding back his white linen shirt cuffs, exposing a large sword and shield tattoo on his left and right triceps, he pulled out a bottle of 1992 Screaming Eagle Cabernet from the cabinet. After removing the cork, he slowly poured some into a wine glass and walked toward her. 

“This better be good,” he said as he handed her the glass and took a seat in the chair across from her.

“Oh, believe me...it is.” 

He waited quietly, watching her as she twirled the drink before taking a small sip. She looked over the rim at him as he pulled down the sleeves of his shirt and re-buttoned the cuffs. Tossing him a coy smile, she took another sip. 

The sound of fingers tapping echoed through the room. Glancing up from her glass, she took in the deep scowl and clenched jaw setting into his face. She’d played with him long enough. 

Pulling the glass into her lap, “Your war - the one that’s going to make the Trojan War look like child’s play...that will put Hitler’s war to shame- your words - is starting to unravel,” she told him.

Smirking, he sat back into the chair. “Really, Eris? Jealousy doesn’t look good on you,” folding his hands together, “nice try, but everything’s still on track. All the players are in place, properly motivated to give me a war that will end all other wars.” He paused and nodded at her, “you should be happy...eager at the prospect of creating infinite years of chaos.” 

She smiled smugly, “my sweet, naive Ares, have you learned nothing? While you have to sit around in your humble abode, waiting for the discontent to brew high enough to create one of your silly little wars, I get to live the life of luxury because mayhem...well dear, it exists everyday.” She shook her head and took another sip of wine, “I will always be relevant, you...not so much.” Setting the glass on the side table and sliding her body out to the front of her chair, “but if you don’t want to know about Supergirl…”

“Wait.” Suddenly interested, he quickly leaned forward and patiently waited for her to settle back into the chair. “What about her? She’s dead. Earned her place in the history books. Don’t you remember your lovely hands pulling the strings on that one?” 

“Indeed I do and what a wonderful time that was...but, I’m afraid the book can’t be closed on her just yet.”

“Why not?”

“Rumor has it that she’s down in the Underworld. Trying to cross the River Styx, without the proper credentials. Apparently, waiting for a burial.”

“Really? The Underworld? And the poor girl’s destined to wander the banks for eternity,” he chuckled, “not quite the hero’s death she imagined, I’m sure.” Leaning back in the chair, he smoothed out a wrinkle in his slacks. “But, I don’t see the problem. As long as she’s stuck - .”

“There’s a group that has entered the Underworld...intent on getting her out.”

“A group? Of humans?” 

“Mm hmm. Our mutual friends the Keres spied them entering and heading off toward the River. Mumbling something about saving their future. And if she hasn’t crossed the river, well…”

“There’s a chance for her to remember who she was.”

“Yes, and be brought back onto Earth, effectively throwing the proverbial wrench into your plans for a grand war.”

Getting up, he began pacing the floor. Rubbing his chin, “so that’s why they didn’t have a public funeral for her, they wanted to leave that door open.” He stopped and looked to Eris for confirmation. 

She tilted her head and arched a sly brow before taking another sip of wine.

Pivoting on his heels, “but, if we can find her body -”, he spun back around “- the Keres, they would know where it is...they would have been there when she died. We can talk to them -.

“I’m way ahead of you darling,” she rose from her chair and ambled over to the bar. “I already talked to them. I know where the slain hero’s body lies.” Filling up her glass, she turned back to him. “But, we don’t need to do that because our little superhero is already doing all the work for us.”

“How so?”

“Hermes sent her to fetch some flowers and grains to try and barter her way across the river...for Persephone of all the Gods!” Smirking to herself, “that wench wouldn’t know a good deed if it slapped her across the face.” She muttered and then glanced up at an expressionless Ares. Clearing her throat, “but that's beside the point. Word below is that Supergirl’s planning on feasting on a bushel of pomegranate while gathering her grains.” 

“Which will condemn her there for eternity,” Ares supplied and walked over to the bar. 

Eris nodded and pulled out another glass. “Exactly. We just need to make sure that nothing interferes with that.” Pouring some wine into the matching glass, “meaning we need to take care of the group that’s down below trying to retrieve her.”

“I’m sure there would be plenty down there who would volunteer to do that.”

“Mm hmm,” she slid the glass over to Ares, “I’ve already sent out the necessary inquiries.”

He nodded. “Good, good.” Twirling his drink. “but, I want to retrieve her body anyway. It doesn’t hurt to have a little insurance...just in case.”

“I can get you that information.” Her dark eyes met his and she smiled. “So, it sounds like there’s still hope that our little conflict might continue to grow up big and strong, and fill into daddy’s shoes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the shorter chapter with only the one side scene included. My mom passed away early last week and this is what I had finished before that. It's been a bit harder to concentrate to add more to it, but wanted to get ya'll something since it's been awhile. I'll try to get more done in the upcoming week.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to extend a warm thank you for the condolences on my mom's passing. The kindness by people who in all sense are strangers helps reaffirm my belief that there is an underlying goodness in people. My mom was the greatest inspiration for my writing and I can best remember her by continuing with what she loved and that we shared. So, here's the next chapter. I haven't edited it thoroughly, so ignore weak descriptions along with grammatical and spelling errors. I will go back and replace those in due time.

_The Underworld. A few miles from Persephone's Grove._

"I wish I was as strong as you," Sara said.

Supergirl and Sara were moving along a ridge on one of the smaller mountain ranges they needed to cross on the way to their destination. Neither was particularly tired as rest wasn't required in their current form. And since darkness was a constant, there wasn't anyway to distinguish day from night.

But, they were nearing the end of their travel and Sara had suddenly slowed down.

She plopped down on the mountain edge. "If I had your powers, I could have stopped my dad...could have left that place and gone back with my mom. I'd still be alive."

_Powers_. Supergirl pulled up next to her and instinctively scanned the area.  _Powers to do what_? Both Sara and Hermes had stated that she'd been a hero. That she had these powers and strength she used to help save people. That it was her desire to help others that had ended her life. But, she couldn't remember any of that and right now she was far from feeling strong.

Their distance from the river and isolation from the masses pushing to get across it had provided more opportunities to think. And the physical pain that accompanied her was now constant...growing stronger the further they went. Connected to memories that were flashing before her with more frequency. Instead of giving her more clarity, they only made her more confused.

_Who was she? What had she been? What was she supposed to do?_ With all this uncertainty, she wasn't sure how to help Sara.

Absently pulling down on one of the sleeves of her robe, covering the hand, she hesitated before approaching Sara. Finally, she sat down beside her.

"You don't have to have superpowers to be strong," she told her. "And from what you said about your experiences with your dad, you're the strongest person that I know."

Sara squinted her eyes and tilted her head up to Supergirl, "I'm the only person you know," she replied.

Supergirl gave a small chuckle. "True, it is a short list," she agreed. "But, it's not about actually  _knowing_  others, but more of a feeling of knowing. You know...like you said earlier...something that exists outside of us, but we're just not fully aware of yet."

Dropping her head, Sara gave an understanding nod.

"When you were alive, you had to go somewhere that you knew was very dangerous. A very scary place. You weren't given a choice, but you went anyway. Determined to make the best of it. To survive it. That took courage." She glanced down at the back of the hood on Sara's bowed head. "And when it got to the point that you couldn't stand it anymore, you stood up to him. You took control of the situation. That gave you power."

"Yeah, but look what happened," Sara mumbled.

"Mm hmm, it didn't end the way we would have liked it to, you're right," Supergirl agreed. "But, that doesn't take away the fact that you were strong and powerful in what you did. And sometimes...sometimes the greatest strength and biggest heroic acts are knowing that we have to do what's right in our hearts and in our head, even though we know there's a good chance it won't end the way we want it to."

Sara slid her hands under her thighs. Sitting on them, she straightened up her shoulders a bit.

Pushing her index finger into Sara's arm, Supergirl continued, "you were a hero. And that's not something that your dad was ever able to take away from you."

"You think so?"

Supergirl looked into Sara's weary eyes. Even though she wasn't sure what she had done to be considered a hero, she knew that Sara's bravery was the absolute definition of a hero.

Nodding, "yep, I do." Supergirl pulled down the hood on her cloak. "Heroes have the ability to recognize each other and I very clearly see one sitting right next to me."

Sara's face lit up slightly. Lifting her gaze into the distance, her expression became reflective. "You know...my dad wasn't always like that. He and my Uncle Nate actually used to help try to keep the streets in West Englewood safe."

"West Englewood?"

"Uh huh, it's in Chi-town. They were both part of a neighborhood watch… had jackets and everything." She looked up to the dark sky. "I remember almost every weekend, the three of us would go to this forest nearby that had a waterfall and we'd have a picnic." Her face clouded and she lightly touched the back of her head.

"You okay?"

Sara nodded. Glimpsing off to the side, she continued, "but, then my uncle had an accident and my dad started going down a dark path."

Your dad couldn't deal with your uncle's death?"

"No, my uncle didn't die. He just moved away after the accident, across town, but I guess my dad couldn't handle the pressure on his own and got involved in some things he shouldn't." Standing up, she walked to a nearby shrub growing out of the ridge. Breaking off a small twig, she studied it. "My uncle Nate used to come get me sometimes when I was at my dad's." Her eyes twinkled as she looked at Supergirl. "We used to watch the highlight reel of you on the t.v. together."

"A highlight reel? Of me?"

"Mm hmm." Sara turned her back to Supergirl and began swiping at the ground with the twig, clearing off loose rock and dirt. "Every night on the news they would show a five minute clip of all of the heroic things you did that day" - kneeling down, she began doodling in the dirt - "the people you saved...the bank robberies you stopped...the fires you put out...all of it."

"I -," Supergirl's pulse picked up a beat. She tried to remember something, anything of what Sara was talking about. But, all that came were snippets of things that didn't seem connected to anything. "- I can't believe I was important enough to be put on the news every night."

Sara stopped twiddling and glanced over her shoulder to Supergirl. "Oh, yeah, you were a big thing" - standing up, she turned to her - "as a matter of fact, one of the last reels I watched was of you lifting up a  _HUGE_  round, metal structure" - she spread her arms out wide - "and then you pushed it into space!" She exclaimed as she jumped, throwing an imaginary object up high in the air. "Saving everyone on Earth from our brains exploding." She turned back and resumed drawing. "They played that one for days."

_Desert sand...tumbleweeds...large metal rings_. Heart now racing, Supergirl pushed herself up to a standing position as the images began streaming before her.  _Red cape...emblemed S etched on a blue crest._  The air tightened, the landscape tilted.  _I was sent to protect Earth_. Losing her balance, she stepped back, regained her footing.  _Loud ringing...dark room...illuminated table._  Bending over, she grabbed onto her thighs. Taking in a big gulp of air.  _Everything good that I did came from you being my sister_. More dizziness, another stumble.  _Bright sun...shining stars...no air...darkness._

"Alex." Supergirl whispered before dropping back to the ground, catching her fall with her hands.

Sara snapped around, "Hey!" She ran toward her, leaned in and placed a hand on Supergirl's shoulder. "You alright?"

Wiping the rock and dirt off her hands, Supergirl nodded. "I just -" throat tightening, she stopped. She felt a pang, a deep wish to be reunited with something or someone lying just on the fringe of her memory.

Clutching her head with both hands, she slowly rotated it from side to side. Finally, she looked up to Sara, "did I have a sister?"

Frowning, "a sister?" Sara repeated. Shaking her head, "Nah, I never heard of one." Assured that Supergirl was okay, she walked back to her doodling. "But you did have a cousin...Superman," she informed her.

"Superman?"

"Yep, he's an alien, too, but not as powerful as you."

" _An alien_?" Supergirl asked, a bit dumbfounded.

"Uh huh, that's why you had powers. You weren't from Earth," Sara told her as though it were old news. Then, turning around, "what do you think?" She stepped to the side to show Supergirl her drawing.

"I'm an alien," Supergirl softly mumbled to herself. Completely flabbergasted and lost in her head at this information she didn't hear Sara's question. Confusion set on her face, she finally glanced up and realized she had missed something.

"Huh?"

"This," Sara pointed the stick at the ground, "what do you think?"

Supergirl pushed herself up. On the ground next to Sara was an extremely detailed drawing. The figure depicted a young woman standing. Shoulder length hair, a wide smile spread across her face, hands on her hips, and dressed in a skirt with knee-high boots. Attached to the collar a cape fell, billowing out to the side of the woman. In the center of her chest sat the letter S encased within a crest.

The connection of the drawing to her past life hit her like a sledgehammer. The images pounded her head in rapid succession. It was just...all...too much. She quickly turned away, trying to distance herself from them, push them out of her head.

"What? You don't like it?" Sara asked.

"No -", she gasped. Taking a deep breath, "- it's good...really, it is...I just -".

At that moment Sara let out a blood-piercing scream. Supergirl whipped around to see her lying on the ground, a half-human, half-serpent like creature leaning over her. It's mouth agape, saliva dripping from its fangs, poised to tear into her.

Without hesitation, Supergirl sprung into action, throwing herself at the beast, ripping it away from Sara.

The two tumbled down the side of the ridge. Bouncing off rocks jutting out of the surface. Finally, they both slid to a stop on the saddle of an adjoining hill, about 150 feet from the top of the ridge. The topple left Supergirl dazed, prone on the ground, attempting to get her bearings. The beast quickly slithered next to her, sliding its long tail under her, it wrapped itself around her legs. Constricting, it squeezed her body tightly, completely immobilizing her lower body within seconds.

Recovering from her disorientation, Supergirl was able to roll onto her back, forcing the torso of the beast up, to tower over her like the head of a rattlesnake. Its upper body was human in form. Female, long stringy hair, bare chested with two human arms. Red eyes peered out from above flared nostrils, speckled skin stretched tightly against the bones, it snapped open its mouth and struck at Supergirl. Landing its fangs deep into her exposed side.

The pain ripped through her and she let out a painful scream. Thrashing on the ground, she pushed on the head of the beast, trying to force it off of her. But its fangs were embedded into her side, tearing into the skin and tissue. Stretching her neck out in an attempt to slide out of its grasp, her eye caught sight of a rock, about a foot in diameter near her. Using her elbow as a wedge, she inched her body along the ground, dragging the otherwise occupied beast with her. As she inched closer to the rock, she reached for it, positioning it between her two hands. Twisting her torso off the ground, she slammed the rock against the side of the beast's head.

Its piercing shriek echoed off the mountains as its fangs were forced out of Supergirl's body. Its torso and head whipped around above her. The temple on one side was split open, blood spewing from the gaping wound. Supergirl dropped the rock, rolled to her side and pulled herself along the ground, trying to get out of its grasp. But even injured, the tail continued to keep a tight hold of Supergirl's legs.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that the beast had regrouped and flung itself at her once again. This time she was ready, getting her hands out in front of her, pushing it away from her. The two struggled against each other, neither gaining any ground. But, soon the wound that had been inflicted on her began to take effect and Supergirl found her strength draining as she struggled to stay conscious.

Just as the beasts fangs got within a few inches of her head, a strong force shook them and the beast's body slackened. Its eyes rolled back in its head, its entire weight fell onto Supergirl's chest. As she pushed through the darkness that was quickly overtaking her, she slowly shoved the beasts body off of her.

The last image she saw before losing consciousness was Sara standing over them. Mouth agape, eyes wide, staring at the defeated beast. Her arms hung down in front of her and she held a bloody rock between her hands.


End file.
